IPL experience to help me in T20 WC: Ryan Rickelton
What's the story
South African wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton has said that his Indian Premier League (IPL) experience will come in handy during the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. The batsman was added to South Africa's squad after Tony de Zorzi had not recovered from a hamstring tear. Rickelton, who had a good IPL season with the Mumbai Indians, is now looking forward to using that experience on the world stage.
Call-up details
Rickelton's unexpected call-up and mixed feelings
Rickelton was enjoying a holiday after the SA20 season when he got the call about his selection for the T20 World Cup. "I actually went on holiday for a bit, and then got a call saying 'Your holiday's over. You're coming back," Rickelton said in Cape Town on Monday. The batsman expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging the honor of representing South Africa while also noting it was an unexpected turn of events.
Performance review
Rickelton's past performances and future strategies
Rickelton's past performances in ODIs against India were not up to the mark, with two ducks in as many matches. However, he scored a century in Pakistan. Now, ahead of the T20 World Cup, he is looking to leverage his IPL experience and familiarity with most players he'll face during this tournament. "I probably need to lean a little bit more on my IPL experience," Rickelton said.
Batting strategy
Rickelton's IPL experience and batting position
Rickelton had a decent IPL 2025 season with Mumbai Indians, scoring 388 runs in 14 innings including three fifties. His strike rate was a stunning 150.97. He opened the batting then but is likely to slot in at No. 3 for South Africa with Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram as the preferred openers. "I don't know where I'm going to bat, if I am going to be at the top two or three or wherever," Rickelton said.
Mental readiness
Rickelton's mental preparation for World Cup
Rickelton is also mentally preparing himself for the T20 World Cup after not being in the original plans. "Mentally, I'd made peace with being left out and I didn't think I'd be in this situation right now," he said. "But obviously there's excitement at the opportunity to go to a World Cup." Notably, he was the only batter to score multiple hundreds in the recent SA20 (2).