South Africa's white-ball coach, Rob Walter, remains optimistic about Anrich Nortje's performance, believing the fast bowler is close to returning to his peak form. Nortje was sidelined for six months due to a stress fracture, missing the ODI World Cup and the entire South African home season, and chose not to sign a central contract this year. Since his return, he has played 11 T20 matches across the CSA T20, the IPL, and a series against West Indies, bowling 40 overs and taking nine wickets for 449 runs, with an economy rate of 11.22. Despite conceding over 12 runs per over in his two T20Is, Walter remains confident in Nortje's abilities ahead of the T20 World Cup.

"They've been tough conditions for a fast bowler and [Nortje was] coming up against a side who were pretty brutal if you were off the mark. He probably experienced the exact same thing having come off a break into his first four games at the IPL. So he probably landed himself in a perfect storm, which in many ways can harden you and get you even more ready," Walter told a press conference on Tuesday. "I still don't believe he's very far away. A world-class performer finds a way and I don't doubt that he will as well."

Anrich Nortje was selected for South Africa's T20 World Cup squad, taking the spot ahead of Lungi Ngidi.