CSA confirms departure of Mark Boucher after T20 World Cup

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have confirmed the departure of South Africa men’s head coach Mark Boucher after the conclusion of the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. The former wicketkeeper-batter is likely to take up a coaching role in the newly announced SA20 competition.

Mark Boucher took charge of the Protean team in 2019 amidst controversy in the country. The renaissance of Test cricket continued under his watchful eyes after the retirement of several key senior figures. South Africa are currently placed in the second spot on the ICC World Test Championship table after a 1-2 series defeat against a spirited English opponents.

Pholetsi Moseki, CSA chief executive, expressed his gratitude towards the Protean for his service to the national team and wished him the best for his future endeavors. He highlighted the importance of Boucher in the team, after navigating a young side through difficult times, laying the foundation for the future.

“We are extremely grateful to him for the work he has done and would like to wish him well with the next chapter of his career. He has helped navigate us through some rough waters following the departures of so many senior players through retirement and has helped lay some strong foundations for the next generation of Proteas,” Pholetsi Moseki said in an official statement.

He has built a sound platform for South Africa to flourish in all three formats: Enoch Nkwe

Enoch Nkwe, Director of Cricket, was disappointed to see the former wicketkeeper-batter vacate his role, but understood his decision and respected him for that. He lauded the ex-cricketer for his impeccable career, hailing him as a Protean legend for his contributions as a player and as a coach. He expects great things from an exciting team ahead of the T20 World Cup in October.

“We are deeply saddened by Mark’s decision to leave us, but we also understand and respect his wishes. He is a Proteas legend and has done so much for the game in our country, both on the field and over the last three years off it, which we highly appreciate. He has built a sound platform for South Africa to flourish in all three formats, and I’m sure we will see the results of that at the T20 World Cup next month,” Enoch Nkwe said.