Has Faf du Plessis retired from international cricket?
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis didn’t find a place in the Proteas squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Fans were left wondering whether du Plessis has retired from internationals as the African nation as they began their campaign against Sri Lanka at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Monday (June 3).
Du Plessis, who bid adieu to Test cricket in February 2021, is yet to retire from T20I and ODI cricket. However, the 39-year-old played his last ODI and T20I in 2019 and 2020, respectively. He currently leads the Joburg Super Kings (JSK) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in SA20 and IPL, respectively.
Faf du Plessis has represented South Africa in 69 Tests, 143 ODIs and 50 T20Is. He has more than 10,000 runs in his international career, comprising 23 centuries and 66 fifties. He is only second South African alongside David Miller with over 10,000 runs in T20s.
Faf du Plessis scored over 400 runs for RCB in IPL 2024
Du Plessis had a promising IPL 2024 season, where he guided RCB to playoffs. The right-hander amassed 430 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 161.62, including four half-centuries. He also smashed 730, 468, and 633 in his last three IPL seasons. The swashbuckling opener had scored 239 runs in 11 games, including three half-centuries during the 2023/24 SA20 season.
Last December, Faf du Plessis had said that he might return to international cricket. He told Abu Dhabi T10 league broadcasters:
"I believe that I can return to international cricket. We have been speaking about this for the last couple of years. It's just figuring out the balance of the T20 World Cup next year. It's certainly something we have spoken about with the new coach.”
Even South Africa's white-ball coach Rob Walter had said that du Plessis would be considered for the T20 World Cup. He told the media [via The Times of India]:
"Given that some of our frontline bowlers are missing out and there are guys - let me throw it out there just to create some media hype - like Faf (du Plessis) could well be considered for a T20 World Cup.”
South Africa’s schedule and squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup
SA squad: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Bjorn Fortuin.
June 3: vs Sri Lanka at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York
June 8: vs Netherlands at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York at 8 pm IST
June 10: vs Bangladesh at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York at 8 pm IST
June 14: vs Nepal at Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St Vincent at 5 am IST
SA are yet to win the T20 World Cup since the tournament began in 2007. They hosted the inaugural edition, where MS Dhoni-led India lifted the title.