While the Proteas have been gearing up for their international assignment in Sri Lanka, the CPL has been in full swing. Among the overseas contingent, a few South Africans are in the mix, too. There’s the experience and flair of Imran Tahir, the consistency of Faf du Plessis, and the burgeoning potential of the uncapped 26-year-old seam-bowling allrounder – Migael Pretorius.

Pretorius has yet to play an international game for South Africa despite being in and around the Test and T20I teams in recent times, but he’s no stranger to the franchise circuit. He’s played in the T10 League for the Deccan Gladiators two years ago, and he’s now received a first gig in the Caribbean Premier League for the Jamaica Tallawahs. Primarily known for his brisk pace, he’s also very capable of clearing the boundaries as a handy lower-order batter. He’s been a regular in the franchise scene domestically – more recently, he relocated to the Knights and strong returns in the first-class tournament elevated him to a Test call-up.

Now we’ve noticed that a lot of the South African players that get a chance to play in franchise leagues have at some point played for their country, but the excitement becomes palpable when a complete newcomer gets a chance to take part in what we know to be the “Biggest Party in Sport”.

Right from the get-go, Pretorius has been on a mission thus far. He’s taken 9 wickets in 3 games, with two 4-wicket hauls. To put things into context, he’s been the resident strike bowler and has often been the go-to guy for captain Rovman Powell to break a threatening partnership.

In his very first game, against the St. Lucia Stars, he created rapid inroads after his team posted a massive 255/5 while batting first. He took three priceless wickets: Rahkeem Cornwall, Faf du Plessis, and Roston Chase. And his fourth wicket sealed the deal – Tim David was going on his merry way but his resistance was cut short.

His versatility has been a fantastic find. Not only is he able to apply the pressure early on, but his death bowling is continuing to improve. His second four-wicket haul against the Barbados Royals kept their momentum in check, restricting them to 151/8.

There’s absolutely no question that he’s now in the centre of attention in this tournament, and he deserves every bit of it. From being on the fringes of the national squad, he’s learned what it takes to succeed at the highest echelon of the game and he’s been able to translate his skill set into what the team needs best.

But let’s address another important question: is he going to be part of the Proteas’ T20WC plans next month? At the moment, the answer is a very confident “maybe”. While he’s done his chances plenty of good, the fast bowling unit of Rabada, Ngidi, and Nortje look fairly well-settled.

But at the same time, despite not necessarily being a confirmed starter, Pretorius could potentially be part of the squad as a reserve player. We’ve already seen a surprise from the Australian team – they picked Josh Inglis, who’s unproven at international level but they are resolutely banking on his potential given his recent returns at franchise level.

Franchise cricket, more often than not, can be a very good indicator of a player’s ability. We’ve seen it numerous times in the IPL and on a few occasions in other leagues. But this year for Migael Pretorius has had a lovely upward trend that just continues to keep surging. Even if he doesn’t make it to this T20WC, his Proteas days are coming up very, very soon.

Photo: CPL Twitter