"I'm at Peace With Whatever Happens” – Rickelton Reflects on T20 World Cup Chances

The selection race for the 2026 T20 World Cup is heating up, as South Africa is looking at possible players who could feature in the upcoming tournament. It is a tough challenge for the selectors, given the intense competition present among the players. One name that is emerging in the talks is of Ryan Rickelton, who is currently playing for MI Cape Town in the SA20 2026 season.

Speaking about his chances for the 2026 T20 World Cup, Ryan Rickelton said that he is not thinking too much about selection and will be at peace with whatever happens.

"I am just trying to find my feet again with the bat and contribute. I'm at peace with whatever happens. Obviously this tournament is a platform for players to put their hands up but I'm definitely not thinking about it [the World Cup]. I am just trying to enjoy the game again which maybe when you're not finding [a spot in the XI] in India, can be quite hard." said Ryan Rickelton.

The batter admitted that his international career has had its ups and downs lately. Despite enduring a challenging few months, he is not dwelling on the negative aspects. He understands that subcontinental tours can be tough, sometimes forcing players to question themselves unnecessarily.

"It's been an up and down year. It started really nicely but at the back end, had a tough white ball leg in India. It was a tough last couple of months mentally. I can be quite negative and sometimes in cricket we dive into our heads very easily and it's tough to get away. That's what I think makes touring the subcontinent quite hard is that it's tough to get out of your own head.” said Ryan Rickelton.

He then explained how playing in South Africa, especially at Cape Town and Newlands, helps him handle pressure. It is a place where he gets the opportunity to spend time with friends and family, something which is very important to him.

"The beauty of Cape Town, the beauty of South Africa is that you get the opportunity to just get outside and just experience a bit more than the game of cricket, especially the game of cricket in your head. I have family and friends here.” said Ryan Rickelton.

“I got the opportunity to not even think about the game until I had to think about it. That's probably the biggest blessing and the biggest enjoyment I get out of playing here in Cape Town and Newlands." added Ryan Rickelton.

A Stellar Performance in SA20 2026 Season Opener

The first game of the SA20 2026 season between Durban Super Giants and MI Cape Town was a complete run fest. Durban Super Giants scored 232 in the first innings, whereas MI Cape Town came up with a near-perfect response by scoring 217 in the second innings. Ryan Rickelton was the star of that match, as his century in the second innings exhibited his T20 batting might.

Speaking about the SA20 tournament opener, Ryan Rickelton said it was a tough game that brought out the best in his T20 batting. He added that games like this don’t give you much time to think, as scoring quickly remains the main priority for batters.

"When you're chasing 233, you don't have a lot of time to think so you've just got to take the game on and that somehow brings out a nice version of me in my T20 cricket. The beauty of those kinds of scores is that you just have to play. You can't really take your time. You try to have more of an impact on the game.” said Ryan Rickelton.

“Once you get out the powerplay, if you fancy a guy, you go. We have so many superstars and guys that can whack it out the park as well so it frees you up a bit. And if you get a matchup or you get a sniff where you can take someone down, you back yourself to take someone down." added Ryan Rickelton.

The South African team management is expected to announce the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup on the coming Friday. It will be interesting to see whether Rickelton receives the much-awaited call-up, as his current form in the SA20 suggests he could get the nod from the selectors.