Cape Town [South Africa], January 6 (ANI): South African legend Dale Steyn has questioned speedster Ottniel Baartman's exclusion from the Proteas 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

The right-arm pacer Baartman is the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing SA20 League 2025-26 season. In four matches for Paarl Royals, the pacer has taken 11 wickets at an economy rate of 9.20.

Baartman was part of the 2024 Proteas group, which lost to India in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados. Since then, the pacer has played in only 11 of South Africa's 29 matches and finds himself on the outside as they hope to go one better next month.

The Proteas have gone with a pace-heavy squad in the upcoming T20 World Cup. However, Baartman didn't make the squad, as Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Khweza Maphaka, and Anrich Nortje were included.

Steyn, who was Baartman's bowling coach for the first three editions of the SA20 at Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), said he needs to be looked at as one of SA's best white-ball bowlers.

'We really need to start looking at Baartman as one of SA's best white ball bowlers. He's the highest wicket taker in SA20, won the league twice and made a final, let me remind you, that's a comp that has 4 INTERNATIONAL players (often batters) plus all the PROTEAS! He's number 1. Thats TOP quality, but he'll be sitting home for this years 20/20 WC,' the former South African cricketer wrote on X.

Baartman made his T20I debut against the West Indies at Kingston in May 2024. Since then, he has played 17 T20Is and picked up 22 wickets at an average of 21.59. The 32-year-old has an economy of 8.21, including two four-wicket hauls. (ANI)