South Africa unveiled its 15-member squad for the upcoming Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka, kicking off on September 30. Laura Wolvaardt will continue to lead the last year’s T20 World Cup finalists with Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Chloe Tryon and Tazmin Brits forging the core of the squad, with their wealth of experience. Former skipper Dane van Niekerk, who recently reversed her retirement, failed to earn a spot in the team.
Karabo Meso, the 17-year-old wicket-keeper batter, will travel with the side for her first World Cup with just two ODI appearances under her belt. She has made seven international appearances in total, featured in two Under-19 World Cups and lifted the SA20 Schools title with Steyn City earlier this year.
Along with Meso, off-spin bowling all-rounder Nondumiso Shangase will feature in her first World Cup, after being recalled to South Africa’s squad in May. Top-order batter Anneke Bosch and all-rounders Nadine de Klerk and Annerie Dercksen have been named in the team for the ODI World Cup for the first time, but have played in the T20 World Cup squads.
“The make-up of the squad is underpinned by the consistent selection process that was adhered to during the recent ICC Women’s Championship cycle, while taking into account the subcontinent conditions and the different characteristics of the group required for a successful tournament of this nature,” Clinton du Preez, South Africa’s convenor of selectors, said in a statement.
This will be the first tournament that the Proteas women’s team will play under head coach Mandla Mashimbyi, who took over the role from Hilton Moreeng last year. South Africa’s women’s team has been inconsistent in their run in the ODIs, winning four in the previous 10 ODIs.
South Africa will have one last shot at finding their winning combination and momentum in the upcoming tour of Pakistan, which will feature three ODIs between September 16 and 22. South Africa has reached two ODI World Cup semi-finals and back-to-back T20 World Cup finals. Mashimbyi believes they have the potential to deliver this time.
“From the moment I joined this team, and even before my time when the squad went through the qualification phase, it was all about working towards this moment. We can look back at the amount of preparation we have put in and know that we have done our best. We are ready to send a squad to the World Cup that will make South Africa proud,” Mashimbyi said.
“We believe we have the squad of players that can go out there and deliver on the world stage. Now it is all about carrying that belief with us every step of the way, along with the support of the entire nation,” he added.
South Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, Tazmin Brits, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase. Reserve: Miane Smit.
