An extended 20-member South Africa women’s squad has gathered in Durban for a week-long national training camp from 25 August to 01 September, marking the team’s final preparation phase before a busy international calendar that includes a tour of Pakistan and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India and Sri Lanka.
The camp features the majority of players who recently toured the West Indies, while skipper Laura Wolvaardt, all-rounder Chloé Tryon, and star seamer Marizanne Kapp are absent due to commitments in The Hundred. Their return is expected ahead of the World Cup, where Wolvaardt will lead the side.
Adding to the fresh faces is 19-year-old all-rounder Luyanda Nzuza, who earns her maiden senior call-up after representing South Africa at the U19 World Cup earlier this year and featuring on the Emerging side’s tour to Bangladesh.
The 20 players in Durban are competing for spots in the World Cup-bound squad, with established names such as Tazmin Brits, Ayabonga Khaka, and Nonkululeko Mlaba expected to feature prominently, while rookie talents Faye Tunnicliffe and Seshnie Naidu will look to make their case.
One of the most notable storylines of this camp is the return of Dane van Niekerk, South Africa’s former captain, who has been included in the training squad following her retirement announcement in March 2023. Van Niekerk has not played international cricket since September 2021, having missed the 2022 ODI World Cup through injury.
The leg-spinning all-rounder has since resumed playing domestically for Western Province and has declared herself available for national duty once again. Her presence could provide much-needed experience and stability in the middle order, an area where South Africa have faced challenges.
Once the camp concludes, South Africa will head to Lahore for a three-match ODI series against Pakistan, scheduled between 16 and 22 September, marking their last international outing ahead of the World Cup. South Africa will then head to India, where they begin their campaign after warm-up fixtures against New Zealand on 25 September and hosts India on 28 September, before opening the World Cup against England on 3 October.
The training camp thus serves as both a proving ground for rookie players and a vital opportunity to refine team combinations ahead of what promises to be a defining few months for South African women’s cricket.
South Africa training camp squad:
Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Luyanda Nzuza, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Miané Smit, Faye Tunnicliffe, Dane van Niekerk
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