Dane van Niekerk, the former South African captain who led her team to a historic World Cup semi-final in 2017, retired from international cricket in early 2023 following her omission from the ICC T20 World Cup squad. This decision came after she narrowly missed a fitness test requirement by just 18 seconds, a heartbreak that kept her from being part of the first South African team—male or female—to reach an ICC World Cup final.
The former South African skipper has an impressive record, making her debut at 16 and being awarded the captaincy at 23, with over 4000 international runs and 204 wickets across 1 Test, 107 ODIs, and 86 T20Is. Van Niekerk is still considered one of the greatest cricketers, not only in South Africa but around the world.
Despite not having played any international matches since 2021, van Niekerk is now set to return to professional cricket after signing with Western Province at the T20 Challenge. She finds herself starting from ground zero, surrounded by a mix of teenagers and seasoned veterans as she prepares for the domestic season with her new team.
As she told ESPN Cricinfo, “My No.1 priority is to play again. I have no expectations other than that. What will be, will be. I miss representing my country and playing at the highest level.”
Dane van Niekerk has not played any cricket since The Hundred in August last year when she fractured her right thumb. Before that, she captained the Sunrisers in the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy in England and had a stint in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League, where she was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team.
Reflecting on her retirement, van Niekerk shared, “I didn’t want to retire. There is a personal reason why I did that. The scrutiny with everything that happened took a massive toll on me mentally. I am still struggling with it.” She further revealed that the environment within Cricket South Africa had become toxic for her, saying, “It wasn’t about the fight with Cricket SA. It wasn’t about the fitness, or me not wanting to do the fitness. I was just trying to get away from the South African stuff. We know everything is not always perfect in an environment. But I just felt that for me it became very toxic. I didn’t enjoy it.”
Eighteen months after the controversy, the pain of being left out is still evident. “There is some resentment. It was a home World Cup. My word, you will never get that back. And being there, watching the team, that hurt a lot,” she admitted. Despite the hurt, van Niekerk had to support her wife Marizzane Kapp, who was still playing for the team, saying, “I couldn’t run around like a little kid and be angry at the world. I had to support the team.”
She has always been open about her challenges. Reflecting on her fitness, she admitted, “Dane was never the fittest. Dane was never the thinnest. But I could produce.” Despite this, she believed in her abilities, saying, “I thoroughly believed I was at the best place in my career. I told Hilton, ‘Pick me, I will win you a World Cup!’” The day after making this bold statement, she was dropped from the squad. So, yes, there is some resentment.
Looking forward, the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE might be too soon for a comeback, but van Niekerk has her sights set on next year’s 50-over World Cup in India. “I want to play for my country again. I thoroughly believe that I still have the skill set to do that. I think I can still add value,” she said
She conveyed a strong sense of unfinished business, reflecting that she may have stepped away from the team and its environment prematurely. She remains confident in her ability to contribute and expresses a desire to guide and support Laura Wolvaardt, who took over the captaincy at just 24. She believes her experience and guidance could be invaluable to both Wolvaardt and the entire team.
Dane van Niekerk expressed, “I feel like I’ve left the team and the environment too early, and I feel like I can still add value, especially with Laura Wolvaardt who took over, some guidance there as well, which would just benefit the team as well.”
As van Niekerk prepares for her return to Western Province, she acknowledges the challenges ahead. “I signed in May, started training, and then I got a back injury, and that set me back 12 weeks. Technically I am back for a month without any niggles. It’s obviously difficult. I’m 31 now. My body doesn’t respond like it used to. I am not 21 anymore. Everything is harder.” Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic. “A lot of hard work ahead. But I think I am ready to put everything behind me and just focus on doing my job for Western Province, and if it comes that I get a call-up, it will be awesome. But right now it’s about finding my purpose.”
Dane van Niekerk’s journey is a testimony to her resilience and passion for cricket. Despite the challenges and her decision to retire, she’s determined to make a comeback. As she starts fresh with Western Province, her focus is on rediscovering her purpose and contributing to the game she loves. Whether or not she returns to international cricket, her legacy as one of the greats is secure, and her story continues to inspire.
(Quotes sourced from IOL)