New Delhi: South Africa made a shocking selection call as they dropped in-form batter Tristan Stubbs from their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 while star pacer Kagiso Rabada has been recalled after missing the recent series against India due to injury. In a key selection decision Cricket South Africa have picked middle-order batter Jason Smith his first World Cup call-up. The 31-year-old grabbed attention with an impressive 68 off just 19 balls that guided the Dolphins into the domestic T20 Challenge playoffs last year. He followed it up by smashing 41 off 14 deliveries for MI Cape Town against Durban Super Giants but he represented South Africa in only two T20Is and has a strike rate of 128.30. Stubbs exclusion has come as a major surprise Stubbs exclusion has become a topic of discussion especially after he had cemented his place in South Africas white-ball plans. The decision is surprising given his impressive IPL returns over the last two seasons where he amassed close to 700 runs at a strike rate of 170.83 in conditions similar to those expected at the World Cup. However Stubbs has struggled in T20Is in 2025 managing just 152 runs from seven innings at a strike rate of 121.60. We have had to make some big calls but we feel this group is the strongest and has every chance of succeeding in India and Sri Lanka. We have assembled a world-class squad with some of the finest and most experienced players in the game together with some of the best T20 youngsters coming through Convenor Selector for the Proteas Men Patrick Moroney said. Rabadas attack strengthens South Africas pace attack From the group that recently toured India fast bowlers Ottneil Baartman and Lutho Sipamla have been omitted along with top-order batter Reeza Hendricks. Kagiso Rabadas return strengthens South Africas pace attack which also includes Lungi Ngidi Anrich Nortje Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch. The Aiden Markram-led side continues to show faith on senior players Quinton de Kock David Miller and Keshav Maharaj with promising left-arm pacer Kwena Maphaka also keeping his spot. Dewald Brevis Donovan Ferreira Tony de Zorzi and George Linde will play their maiden World Cup. We are returning to the subcontinent where we recently competed against hosts India. The experience we gained playing in those conditions will undoubtedly benefit us as we head into this tournament head coach Shukri Conrad said. Many of the players selected for the World Cup squad were on that trip and experienced first-hand the pitches that we will likely encounter and that will stand them in good stead once we get to India. We do have one more T20I series against the West Indies before we depart for the World Cup and that squad will be announced later this month. South Africa squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Aiden Markram (c) Quinton de Kock Dewald Brevis David Miller Donovan Ferreira Tony de Zorzi George Linde Marco Jansen Corbin Bosch Lungi Ngidi Kagiso Rabada Keshav Maharaj Anrich Nortje Kwena Maphaka Jason Smith