As South Africa, captained by Laura Wolvaardt, gears up to host Pakistan in the opening ODI of their white-ball series at Mangaung Oval on February 22 (1:30 PM IST), all eyes will be on the Proteas’ firepower following their 2-1 T20I series triumph. With the three-match ODI leg running from February 22 to March 1, these players, Wolvaardt, Nadine de Klerk, and Ayabonga Khaka, stand out as game changers, blending recent heroics with proven ODI dominance to set the tone early.
Laura Wolvaardt
South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt arrives with the bat sizzling from the T20I series, where she topped her team’s run charts and finished as the second-highest scorer overall with 112 runs at a strike rate of 143.58 and an average of 56 across three innings, including a half-century.
In ODIs, her mastery shines through 5,477 runs at a strike rate of 75.48 and an average of 52.16 in 121 innings (122 matches), featuring 38 half-centuries and 13 centuries. Against Pakistan specifically, she has amassed 658 runs at a strike rate of 76.68 and an average of 43.86 in 16 innings (16 matches), with six half-centuries and a century. At home, her record is even more imposing: 2,151 runs at a strike rate of 78.41 and an average of 63.26 in 42 innings (43 matches), including 11 half-centuries and eight centuries. Expect Wolvaardt to be the heartbeat of the innings on the Bloemfontein pitch while accelerating when needed.
Nadine de Klerk
Nadine de Klerk chipped in 31 runs across two T20I innings, but her ODI prowess against Pakistan truly electrifies. She’s scored 186 runs at a strike rate of 86.91 and an average of 31 in eight innings (eight matches), including a half-century, while snaring 14 wickets at an average of 16.92 and an economy of 4.67 in seven innings (eight matches), with a four-wicket haul.
Overall, in ODIs, de Klerk boasts 934 runs at a strike rate of 85.84 and an average of 25.24 in 49 innings (58 matches), with three half-centuries, to go along with the 68 wickets, at an average of 27.45 and an economy of 5 in 55 innings (58 matches). Her seamless transition between bat and ball could dismantle Pakistan’s middle order, while also being capable of rescuing her side under pressure with the bat, making her an indispensable member of the side for the Proteas.
Ayabonga Khaka
Veteran pacer Ayabonga Khaka shared the T20I series’ leading wicket-taker honours with five scalps at an average of 17 and an economy of 8.50 across three innings (three matches), matching Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal. In ODIs, her ledger reads 142 wickets at an average of 27.20 and an economy of 4.28 in 118 innings (119 matches), including two four-wicket hauls and a five-wicket haul.
Against Pakistan, she’s a nightmare: 18 wickets at an average of 20.50 and an economy of 3.54 in 13 innings (13 matches), with a four-wicket haul. On home soil like Mangaung Oval, Khaka’s swing and seam could exploit the early assistance from the conditions on offer, pressuring Pakistan’s top order right from the outset inside the powerplay.
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