Reeza Hendricks

A gutsy top-order batter, Reeza Hendricks has been a good find for the Proteas, especially in the shortest format of the game. The right-handed batter, having started off his career at the Griqualand West, went on the play for the Knights in the South African domestic circuit. He was part of the South African squad during the 2008 U-19 World Cup, but his returns were not that impressive. 

Hendricks is more accustomed to the shorter formats, and his T20 record speaks for itself. Having made his first-class debut way back in 2006, Hendricks hasn’t managed to establish himself on the international radar on a consistent basis. On the back of some consistent performances for the Knights, Hendricks was awarded a maiden national call-up for the T20I series against Australia in 2014. 

He was dismissed for a duck in his opening game, but the team management persisted with him for a while. He scored two rather unconvincing 40s against Australia and the West Indies and was dropped from the squad for the tour of Bangladesh. He went on to make his ODI debut in 2018 after a good showing for the Durban Knights. 

Hendricks joined an elite list of batters as he went on to score a century on his ODI debut against Sri Lanka. The team management persisted with him as an opener for the 2018 season, but after several inconsistent performances, he was shown the door in favour of Aiden Markra,m who was having a purple patch in List A matches. 

Hendricks continued to be a key figure in South Africa’s T20 setup, consistently delivering strong performances in domestic and international cricket. While his ODI opportunities remained limited due to stiff competition, he made the most of his chances in the shortest format, proving to be a reliable opener capable of accelerating in powerplays and stabilising innings when needed.

His consistent performances saw him earn a place in South Africa’s squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Though the Proteas failed to make it to the semifinals, Hendricks contributed valuable runs whenever given the opportunity. He remained in the selectors’ plans for white-ball cricket, featuring in bilateral series and continuing to make a case for a more permanent role in the squad.

By 2023, Hendricks had established himself as one of South Africa’s most dependable T20I batters. His performances in the domestic circuit, particularly in the CSA T20 Challenge, kept him in contention for national selection. He was part of South Africa’s squad for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India, where the Proteas had a strong campaign but fell short in the knockout stages. Although he didn’t play a major role in the tournament, his presence in the squad reflected the trust the management had in his abilities.

The year 2024 proved to be a breakthrough one for Hendricks in T20I cricket. In December, he registered his maiden T20I century, scoring a magnificent 117 off 63 balls against Pakistan. His knock guided South Africa to a seven-wicket victory and helped them seal the series. This innings was a testament to his ability to dominate world-class bowling attacks and reinforced his status as a key player in South Africa’s T20 plans.

With another T20 World Cup on the horizon, he will be looking to carry forward his rich vein of form and cement his place as a mainstay in the top order. His ability to combine classical stroke play with aggressive shot-making makes him a vital asset for the Proteas in limited-overs cricket.

(As of May 2025)