Which 6 South African Cricketers could make their Women’s ODI World Cup debut this year?

With a streak of consecutive 5 bilateral series wins, South Africa is one of the favourites as they begin their 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign on March 5 against Bangladesh. In a couple of big blows, The 2017 World Cup Semi-Finalist are without their regular captain Dané van Niekerk who suffered a freak injury as well as all-rounder Anneke Bosch who was chosen as a traveling reserve but fractured her right thumb.

However, the team led by stand-in captain Suné Luus and consisting of the 2021 ICC ODI cricketer of the year Lizelle Lee who is joined by her fellow opener Laura Wolvaardt, last year’s tied leading wicket-taker, Shabnim Ismail, the star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp along with other experienced players all of whom looks to be in good spirits ahead of the big tournament.

While the majority of the players in the 18-member squad have played an ODI World Cup in the past, 6 of them are yet to make their debut appearance in the big competition-:

1. Lara Goodall:

With 439 runs at 18.29 in 33 matches, Lara Goodall is an experienced batter in the momentum Proteas squad. Her career-best knock of unbeaten 59 helped South Africa clinch the ODI series against India in March last year following which she was awarded a national contract by Cricket South Africa

2. Nonkululeko Mlaba:

The winner of Cricket South Africa’s Newcomer of the year award in 2020, left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba made her ODI debut in January last year against Pakistan and since then has appeared in 8 matches of the format with 4 wickets at 71.75 along with 11 runs as a lower-order batter. Her best with the ball being 2/41 that came in her 3rd ODI.

3. Sinalo Jafta:

Captain of South Africa’s Emerging Women’s squad that toured Bangladesh in April last year, wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta has played 16 ODIs till now and have been given a chance to bat in 11 of those from which she the 27 years old has accumulated 82 runs at 45.05 while has taken 9 catches as a wicketkeeper.

4. Tazmin Brits:

A Javelin Thrower turned Cricketer, Tazmin Brits has been a consistent performer for the Proteas. Cricket South Africa’s Women’s Provincial Cricketer of the Year award winner in 2020, Tazmin Brits made her ODI debut last year against Pakistan and has played 7 ODIs till now aggregating a good total of 177 runs from them with the highest score of 48.

5. Tumi Sekhukhune:

With the experience of 21 ODIs, bowler Tumi Sekhukhune has been a great performer since her international debut that came in 2018. Sekhukhune has the best figure of 2/20 with the ball and has a total of 20 wickets along with 18 runs as a lower-order batter. Sekhukhune was awarded Cricket South Africa’s International Women’s Newcomer of the Year award in 2019.

6. Andrie Steyn (Traveling Reserve):

Replacing injured Anneke Bosch as a traveling reserve, opener Andrie Steyn was a part of the 2017 World Cup but was later ruled out due to injury. The experienced batter has represented South Africa in 33 matches and has aggregated 765 runs at 24.67 with the highest score of an impressive 117 that came against Ireland just before the 2017 World Cup.