Black Leopards captain Thabo Matlaba is hoping for another call-up to the Bafana Bafana squad after the coronavirus pandemic has delayed his return to the national team set-up.

The 32-year-old was named in Molefi Ntseki’s 25-man Bafana squad, who were due to face Sao Tome and Principe last month, but the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers were postponed due to Covid-19.

Matlaba was set to feature for the South African national team for the first time since his last appearance against Burkina Faso in a Fifa 2018 World Cup qualifier in 2016.

The former Orlando Pirates man has since expressed his disappointment after the qualifiers were postponed, but is hopeful that he’ll get another opportunity to represent the national team once football resumes.

‘Yeah, I was disappointed to be honest with you but it is something that was beyond my control because this Covid-19 pandemic came as I was to make a comeback to the national team,’ Matlaba told FarPost.

‘The health of the nation comes first but I am still keeping fit and training very hard.

‘I am still hopeful of another call-up to the national team because I will not stop working hard. Even now I am doing myself a favour here at home training very hard to ensure that I am always fit,’ he added.

‘It remains my target to represent my national team until I stop playing football and I don’t think there is nothing that will stop me from doing that as long as I am consistent in my performances.’