SA U19 head coach Malibongwe Maketa has unwavering belief in his squad’s ability as they enter the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, hosted in Namibia and Zimbabwe from Friday.
SA, drawn in Group D alongside Afghanistan, Tanzania, and the West Indies, will be based in Windhoek, Namibia, for all group stage matches, with the later knockout rounds set to take place in Zimbabwe.
Their opening game is against Afghanistan on Friday.
Maketa emphasised the squad was meticulously selected after extensive observation and performance tracking across national programmes.
“This group of Junior Proteas has been preparing for this moment for the past two years, identified through Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) pathway structures and further developed through many camps and Youth Series,” Maketa said.
He highlighted the players’ ability to balance academic commitments and cricket, noting JJ Basson, Michael Kruiskamp and Jason Rowles will be starting matric in 2026.
Maketa said the squad reflects the strength and reach of CSA’s national pathways system, which continues to discover and develop talent from across the country, including township schools and under-resourced communities.
“Our players may be young in years, but their maturity, discipline and commitment to each other stand beyond their age.
— Malibongwe Maketa, SA U19 head coach
“Having worked with the players for an extended period, we’ve been able to monitor their progress through camps and assess their performances at Khaya Majola and Cubs Week. Through this, we believe we’ve identified the right characters to perform under the pressures of a World Cup.
“This team is a testament to the effectiveness of our pathway. All the players have developed through a structured system where they were identified early and given opportunities, benefiting from excellent facilities and coaching through the Talent Acceleration Programme Leads monitoring the provinces.”
Maketa said age is no barrier to belief or ambition: “Our players may be young in years, but their maturity, discipline and commitment to each other stand beyond their age. We don’t see them as juniorsm we see them as competitors ready to carry the hopes of a nation. ”
Looking ahead to the tournament, Maketa urged South Africans to rally behind a team that embodies the present and future of the sport.
“I’d like South Africans to understand this team represents the future of our game. These players, though young, are committed, disciplined and deeply proud to represent their country. They’ve earned their place through hard work and sacrifice, and they will compete with courage and humility,” Maketa said.
SA squad: JJ Basson (Lions), Daniel Bosman (WP), Corne Botha (Lions), Muhammad Bulbulia (KZN Inland), Paul James (WP), Enathi Khitshini (SWD), Michael Kruiskamp (WP), Adnaan Lagadien (WP), Bayanda Majola (Dolphins), Armaan Manack (Lions), Bandile Mbatha (Dolphins), Lethabo Phahlamohlaka (Titans), Jason Rowles (Lions), Ntandoyenkosi Soni (EP), Jorich van Schalkwyk (Titans).
SA pool fixtures:
Friday: vs Afghanistan, HP Oval, Windhoek
Monday: vs Tanzania, HP Oval, Windhoek
Thursday: vs West Indies, HP Oval, Windhoek - Cricket SA
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