On Sunday, Cricket South Africa announced a 17-member squad for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against India, an away tour, which will be played from March 7 to March 23. Five ODIs and three T20Is will be played during the period.
Squad: Sune Luus (captain), Ayabonga Khaka, Shabnim Ismail, Laura Wolvaardt, Trisha Chetty, Sinalo Jafta, Tasmin Britz, Marizanne Kapp, Nondumiso Shangase, Lizelle Lee, Anneke Bosch, Faye Tunniclife, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Mignon du Preez, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Tumi Sekhukhune
Here is a brief about each and every player in the squad:
Sune Luus: She will lead the team in the absence of Dane van Niekerk. The 25-year old all-rounder will be expected to shoulder the responsibility and set an example before the other young players.
Ayabonga Khaka: The right-arm quick has been a constant feature in the South African outfit since 2012. With 93 international appearances, she is one of the most experienced players on the team.
Shabnim Ismail: The senior pro will lead the South African bowling attack. She is quick, fiery, and has the ability to make any batter dance to her tunes when she is on the song. Recently she became the first South African cricketer among both men and women to scalp 100 wickets in T20I cricket.
Laura Wolvaardt: The 21-year old opening bat has come of age and has been around playing international cricket since 2016. Proteas will depend on her to give them a strong and steady start.
Trisha Chetty: The wicket-keeper bat boasts of a wealth of experience as she has played more than 190 international matches for South Africa. She is safe behind the stumps and is a decent bat lower down the order.
Sinalo Jafta: The 26-year old right-arm quick bowler is still in her early days in international cricket. With the likes of Ismail and Khaka around, this series can be a good learning experience for her.
Tasmin Brits: The T20 specialist will be rearing to go and would want to make this series count by making some useful contributions with the bat.
Marizanne Kapp: This talented all-rounder has the ability to take the game away from any opposition with both bat and ball. She will be a player to watch out for in this series.
Nondumiso Shangase: The 24-year old off-spinner who made her ODI debut against India just a couple of years ago would look to grab any opportunity on offer with both hands in this series.
Lizelle Lee: The swashbuckling bat is a strong striker of the cricket ball and can use the long handle at will. The top-order bat will be expected to get the Proteas to a good start. She can keep wickets as well.
Anneke Bosch: The 27-year old right-arm quick made her T20I debut against India in 2019. Though she did not have a dream start to her T20I career, she would look to make things happen this time around.
Faye Tunnicliffe: The 22-year old wicket-keeper bat is a promising player and could be the next big thing for South African women’s cricket.
Nonkululeko Mlaba: The 20-year old slow left-arm spinner is the other spinner who would be looking to make the most of the Indian pitches which have the reputation of being spin-friendly.
Mignon du Preez: With over 100T20Is and 132 ODIs, the 31-year old right-hand bat has been a formidable member of the South African side since 2007.
Nadine de Klerk: The 21-year old all-rounder is known for her abilities with both bat and ball. She is a right-hand bat and a right-arm medium pacer.
Lara Goodall: The 24-year old southpaw is a delight to watch. She has featured in 21 ODIs and 10 T20Is so far.
Tumi Sekhukhune: The 22-year old right-arm quick is another upcoming young and bright talent for South Africa. She was a part of the bilateral series played in India in 2019 and would look to revisit those days for a better performance this time around.
All-rounders Chloe Tryon and Dane van Niekerk will miss the series due to injuries, while Masabata Klaas has sustained an eleventh-hour injury that will see her miss out, stated Cricket South Africa.
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.
