Johannesburg, July 30 (IANS) Former South Africa all-rounder Albie Morkel has been appointed as the new head coach of Joburg Super Kings ahead of the upcoming season of the SA20. He steps into the top role after Stephen Fleming left the Super Kings franchise earlier this month and will take charge as England’s Test cricket coach.
Morkel represented South Africa in one Test, 58 ODIs, and 50 T20Is from 2004 to 2015. Over a prolific T20 career spanning 319 matches, he scored more than 4,000 runs and claimed nearly 250 wickets. Apart from representing the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Morkel has been an integral part of the Joburg Super Kings coaching setup since the franchise’s inception in the SA20.
“It is an incredible honour to be appointed Head Coach of the Joburg Super Kings. From wearing the Super Kings jersey as a player to now leading one of its franchises as Head Coach, this journey is truly special. I look forward to building on the strong foundations we’ve created together and helping this group achieve its full potential,” Morkel said in a statement by the franchise on Thursday.
The JSK team is yet to make it to the SA20 final in four seasons, and Morkel’s first task will be to lead the team towards that goal. Morkel had been a consultant coach with the South African team in this year’s T20 World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals.
“Albie Morkel has been an invaluable member of our coaching group over the years. He understands what the Super Kings stand for, has built strong relationships with our players and staff, and has played an important role behind the scenes in player development. We are excited to see him take on this new role and lead the team into the next chapter,” said Rupa Gurunath, owner of Joburg Super Kings.
The fifth edition of the SA20 is scheduled to begin on January 17, 2027, with Joburg Super Kings kicking off their campaign on January 18. “Albie Morkel understands our culture well, having experienced it both as a player and as a coach. His leadership and understanding of the South African cricket landscape give us great confidence as we move forward,” said KS Viswanathan, Director, Joburg Super Kings.
–IANS
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