South Africa's T20 World Cup squad has "failed to meet the [transformation] targets set by CSA", resulting in the board's admission that "various initiatives that have been pursued over the years have not yielded the desired results, especially in terms of producing Black African cricketers at the highest levels".

But this will not, according to a board spokesperson, extend to interference in selection.

Mali was particularly severe in his assessment of how the squad is selected and said the "system of giving a team for one person to select is not going to work in a country like ours", while advocating for the return of a selection panel.

He blamed the domestic system for not providing enough depth to pick a more diverse squad. "The system needs to really up the ante so that in six months, 12 months, or two years' time, and in particular when we reach the 2027 [ODI] World Cup at home, that the demographics and the representation in our team starts to look a bit different."

The CSA board has not insisted on Lungi Ngidi's selection in the final 15-player squad (he is a travelling reserve), and will not influence Rob Walter's choice on final XI, unlike what it has done in the past

CSA has, in essence, agreed with Walter by admitting that there is a lack of black African talent at the highest level and has committed to an acceleration programme for unearthing and developing players. Nkwe "presented to the Board plans for the acceleration of Black African batting talent and a plan to ensure a more representative group of players ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup on home soil," a board representative said. "The Board endorsed these plans."

The CSA board has not insisted on Ngidi's selection in the final 15-player squad, and will not influence Walter's choice on final XI, unlike what it has done in the past. Most notably, at the 2015 World Cup, then CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat reminded then coach Russell Domingo to choose the semi-final XI with transformation targets in mind. At the time, CSA did not have a black African quota in place but required XIs to field at least four players of colour. South Africa had started the tournament with five players of colour in the XI but that dipped to three as the tournament went on. For the semi-final, Vernon Philander was selected for the match against New Zealand ahead of Kyle Abbott.