Mark Boucher set to join MI Cape Town in SA20

South African team's head coach Mark Boucher is set to join the camp of MI Cape Town in the SA20 after he steps down from his coaching role with the national team post the T20 World Cup. The former South Africa wicketkeeper will be one of Mumbai's representatives at the player auction, on September 19 in Cape Town.

Mark Boucher has been at the helm of the South African team since 2019 before announcing his shock departure in a team meeting following a 2-1 series defeat against hosts England in the recently concluded Test series. He is now in line to take a coaching role for MI Cape Town in the newly incepted SA20 tournament, scheduled to commence in early 2023.

Notably, the Protean's previous experience in domestic T20 tournaments came with Kolkata Knight Riders, when he was the wicketkeeping consultant of the two-time champions in IPL 2016. But his coaching stocks rose meteorically after an illustrious stint with Titans, winning five domestic titles - two One Day Cups, two T20 Challenge titles, and one four-day Sunfoil Series trophy, which led to his appointment as the head coach of the national team in 2019.

We would like to wish him well with the next chapter of his career: CSA Chief

MI Cape Town is owned by Reliance Industries Limited, which also owns Mumbai Indians in IPL, and the MI Emirates franchise in International League T20. They were the first side to announce their five direct signings ahead of the auction as they secured the services of Rashid Khan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, and Dewald Brevis.

Boucher has done an admirable job in his nearly three-year stint with the national team, who are currently number two on the ICC World Test Championship table. CSA chief Pholetsi Moseki had applauded him for his service to the South African team and had wished him all the best for his future endeavors in the wake of his departure.

"We would like to thank Mark for the time and effort he has invested in South African cricket as the head coach over the past three years. We are extremely grateful to him for the work he has done and would like to wish him well with the next chapter of his career," CSA Chief Executive Officer Pholetsi Moseki said according to ESPNcricinfo.