Former Namibia cricketer Yasmeen Khan has made available for South Africa and is included in a 28-player training camp from September 27 to 30. She has played 117 T20Is for Namibia and captained them 27 times. Born in George, between Cape Town and Gqeberha, she plays for Dolphins in Durban.
Yasmeen represented the South African women’s emerging team against Bangladesh and is eligible for her country of birth. She is one of six uncapped players. The other five are allrounders Alexandra Candler and Nicolien Janse van Rensburg, batter Izel Cilliers, and wicket-keepers Simone Lourens and Tebogo Macheke.
Regulars include captain Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk and Nonkululeko Mlaba. Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon, all at WCPL, are not named. Kapp and Tryon will appear in Canada Super 60 from September 29 to October 3. Dane van Niekerk’s international future remains unclear, while Ayabonga Khaka is unavailable for Tests.
South Africa face India in the first Test from December 9 to 12 in Gqeberha. Australia are scheduled in Potchefstroom from April 11 to 14 next year for 17th and 18th Tests. The match may move because of the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in February, but is certain to go ahead.
South Africa will have two red-ball intensives in September and October 2026, with an expanded squad to expose many players to the longer format. The camps focus on red-ball skills, while the second includes a first-of-its-kind practice match. South African women’s domestic teams do not play red-ball cricket.
“Preparing for and playing red-ball cricket is something that excites us as players and coaches,” coach Mandla Mashimbyi said. “We are a team that is always eager to learn and grow as cricketers, and the longer format of the game goes a long way towards helping us achieve that continuous development. We’ve purposefully cast the net wide with the players we have invited to the camp, with the aim of building a solid base of cricketers we can look to when it comes to the skills and mentality required to be successful in red-ball cricket and beyond.”
Mashimbyi has red-ball coaching history with the men’s domestic side Titans and has long advocated more first-class cricket for women. Appointed in December 2024, he said long-format cricket would help white-ball cricket. “It also gives us an opportunity to enhance our technical and tactical blueprint, which is not only applicable to the longer format but will also help us prepare for the challenges ahead in one-day international and T20 International cricket,” Mashimbyi said.
South Africa have not won a Test in five attempts, dating to 2007, and lost their latest match against England in Bloemfontein. They are due to play five more Tests in the 2025-2029 FTP cycle, including this season’s two, away to Australia and England in 2028 and at home against West Indies in 2029.
South Africa women’s training squad for red-ball cricket: Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Alexandra Candler, Izel Cilliers, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Nicolien Janse van Rensburg, Leah Jones, Yasmeen Khan, Masabata Klaas, Simoné Lourens, Suné Luus, Tebogo Macheke, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Nthabiseng Nini, Luyanda Nzuza, Kayla Reyneke, Nondumiso Shangase, Tumi Sekhukhune, Miané Smit, Faye Tunnicliffe, Caitlin Wyngaard.
Yasmeen’s inclusion brings Namibia experience to South Africa’s red-ball plans. Her presence adds experience to the group preparing for the longer format. The camp will help prepare the group for longer format and Tests ahead this season. It will support players in preparations for red-ball assignments.
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