Former India captain Anjum Chopra has hailed rising South African talent Kayla Reyneke as a future star of the women’s game, while also backing India to build on their recent success and push for another global title at the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Reyneke has quickly become one of the most exciting names in international cricket, making an immediate impact in both formats. The 20-year-old all-rounder made headlines with a last-ball six on her T20I debut against Pakistan and followed it up with another match-winning effort on ODI debut against New Zealand, where she remained unbeaten on 42 off 32 balls, again hitting a six to win the game. Her performances earned her Player of the Match awards in both games, a first in women’s international cricket.
Chopra, who watched her closely, admitted she has been thoroughly impressed by Reyneke’s temperament and ability to deliver under pressure. “I am added to Kayla Reyneke’s fan club. I have watched her play and she is an outstanding player, especially in the first ODI when she was up with the challenge of scoring 14 in the last over against New Zealand and getting those six runs on the last ball – I watched that game live.”
She further pointed out that Reyneke’s ability to combine power with composure makes her a rare talent, particularly at such an early stage of her career. “She is one of those players who will take women’s cricket to possibly those heights where everyone takes notice and says, ‘Wow, there is power, but there is also calmness in the way that the players are playing the sport now.’”
With India set to take on South Africa women’s national cricket team in a five-match T20I series starting April 17 in Durban, Chopra believes the contest will also be a test of India’s tactical depth. While acknowledging Reyneke’s strengths particularly her dominance on the on-side and ability to hit straight, she noted that international teams will begin to study her game more closely and look for areas to exploit.
Beyond the immediate series, Chopra reflected on the broader progress of Indian cricket, particularly the shift in mindset following multiple ICC title wins across levels in recent years. She described the moment of seeing several trophies together as symbolic of a new era, where Indian teams are no longer just contenders but consistent winners. “Personally, I felt like a kid in a candy store when I had five World Cup trophies in front of me. It’s been a very humbling year and a half or two for Indian cricket. I’ll be greedy like any Indian to say that one more in 2026 for the T20 World Cup, especially with the women playing, will be very nice.”
Chopra also cautioned that with success comes higher expectations. Having experienced both near-misses and triumphs, she noted that the current generation understands what it takes to win—and how difficult it is to sustain that success. “If by any chance we don’t win it, I think it will be really hurting to the players as well and to everybody around because now the taste of success is there with everyone. If you don’t taste that success, there’ll be utmost disappointment.”
She also stressed the importance of focusing on the process rather than looking too far ahead, pointing out that tournaments are won through consistent performances across all stages, not just in finals. With India’s best finish in the Women’s T20 World Cup being runners-up in 2020, the upcoming edition in England presents another opportunity to take that final step.
(Quotes sourced from IANS)
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