This will be the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter’s first stint at the SA league
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Aug-2024
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the leading run-getter in the 2024 T20 World Cup•Getty Images
Pretoria Capitals have signed Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz for SA20 2025. Gurbaz will reunite with Jonathan Trott, under whom Afghanistan had reached their maiden World Cup semi-final in June earlier this year. More recently, Trott was announced as Capitals’ new head coach, taking over from Graham Ford who had left the role last month.Related
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At 22, Gurbaz is already a T20 globetrotter and is currently in action for Bangla Tigers Mississauga in the Global T20 Canada, but this will be his first stint at the SA20. However, he has already been part of the Capitals’ franchise in the ILT20 – Dubai – in 2023-24, scoring 146 runs in eight innings at an average of 18.25 and strike rate of 155.31. Gurbaz also brings IPL experience, having won the title with Kolkata Knight Riders earlier this year.
Gurbaz’s T20I form is also encouraging: he was the top run-getter in the 2024 T20 World Cup, with 281 runs in eight innings at an average of 35.12 and strike rate of 124.33.Gurbaz will join the likes of Wayne Parnell, Will Jacks, Rilee Rossouw, Jimmy Neesham and Anrich Nortje, who were among Capitals’ retentions for the upcoming season, and England batter Ollie Pope, who is another new signing.
