Steyn to be Pakistan enemy number one!

Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn have been named in South Africa’s T20 squad for the two-match series against Pakistan in the UAE next month. Batsman Farhaan Behardien and the seamer Rory Kleinveldt were the two players left out of the T20 squad that toured Sri Lanka in July.

Amla last played a T20 in December 2012. He relinquished the limited-overs vice-captaincy in February when South Africa announced separate captains for all three formats. He had asked not to be picked for T20s in 2013, but it appears as if he is willing to commit to the shortest format. He is the third opening batsman in the squad, with Henry Davids and Quinton de Kock in the mix.

“Hashim is a world-class player across all the formats,” said Cricket South Africa (CSA) selection convener Andrew Hudson. “His experience and stability at the top of the order are qualities that we believe will strengthen the squad in a key area.”

Steyn last played in the World T20 in Sri Lanka in 2012. With the next edition of the tournament in March-April in Bangladesh, the coach Russell Domingo had made it clear that players had to be part of the squad regularly if they wanted to be picked for tournaments. Steyn took part in the Champions League in India for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“It is great to have Dale back as it means we now have all our senior players available again,” Hudson said. “There was also some encouraging form shown at the Champions League T20, notably by Henry Davids, who was unquestionably the batsman of the tournament until the Titans were knocked out.”

The allrounder Chris Morris was not named in any of the limited-overs squads for the tour. South Africa play the two T20s in Dubai after the two Tests and five ODIs.

Squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, David Wiese