Rob Walter resigns as South Africa white-ball coach less than a year after T20 World Cup runner-up finish

Rob Walter resigned as head coach of the South African cricket team on Tuesday, less than a year after helping the Proteas reach the final of the T20 World Cup in the US and the Caribbean. Walter cited "personal reasons" for his decision, which has since been accepted by Cricket South Africa (CSA).

The 49-year-old had been appointed to the role in March 2023, with Shukri Conrad named head coach of the Proteas Test team. During Walter's tenure, South Africa reached the semi-finals of the 2023 ICC World Cup and the 2025 ICC Champioins Trophy and also reached the final of last year's T20 World Cup against India in Barbados.

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Had it not been for Suryakumar Yadav's game-changing catch in the final over of South Africa's chase, Walter could have signed off as the only South African head coach to win the the World Cup, either in the ODI or T20 formats.

In his time at the helm, Walter oversaw the national side in 36 One-Day Internationals and 31 T20 Internationals, with series wins against Netherlands, Australia, Ireland and Pakistan.

His final assignment was the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he led the Proteas to another semi-final appearance, this time against New Zealand in Lahore in March.

“Coaching the Proteas has been an incredible honour, and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together,” said Walter in a CSA release.

“The players, support staff, and the South African cricketing community have been fantastic throughout this journey. While it’s time for me to step away, I have no doubt that the team will continue to grow and reach even greater heights.” A successor will be announced in due course, said the CSA.

With PTI inputs