Ayabonga Khaka became only the 3rd South African pacer after Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp to 150 ODI wickets in her 200th appearance at Wellington during the 2nd ODI.
In a match that etched itself into women’s ODI history, South Africa’s battle-hardened pacer Ayabonga Khaka celebrated twin milestones on her 200th international appearance: becoming just the third Proteas quick to claim 150 ODI wickets, behind only Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp.
The 33-year-old veteran marked the occasion in the second ODI against New Zealand at Basin Reserve, delivering a gritty spell of 10-0-51-3 while defending 347. Though South Africa fell short by two wickets in New Zealand’s (350/8) record-breaking chase of 347, powered by skipper Amelia Kerr’s unbeaten 179 (139 balls, 23 fours, 1 six), Khaka’s resilience shone through, underscoring her enduring class in a series now level at 1-1.
Ayabonga Khaka reached these landmarks amid a high-stakes tour where New Zealand, led by Kerr, hosts Laura Wolvaardt’s South Africa from March 15 to April 4 across five T20Is and three ODIs. The White Ferns dominated the T20Is 4-1, but South Africa stole the ODI opener by two wickets in a Hagley Oval thriller. Khaka, the series’ leading wicket-taker with 9 scalps at 11.88 apiece and 5.35 economy across two innings, spearheaded the first ODI’s victory with sensational figures of 10-1-56-6, bundling New Zealand for 268 before Kayla Reyneke’s last-ball six (42* off 32) sealed the deal.
Khaka’s ODI journey began on September 6, 2012, against Bangladesh at Mirpur, and has since blossomed into a treasure trove of 151 wickets across 121 matches and 120 innings at an average of 26.29 and an economy of 4.30. Her arsenal boasts two four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls, with her career-best 6/56 arriving in that Hagley Oval masterclass on March 29, 2026. Khaka’s lower-order cameos add value too, 164 runs in 56 innings, but it’s her ability to strike in crunch moments that defines her. Hitting 150 wickets on this Wellington deck, despite the defeat, cements her as South Africa’s pace pillar.
Switching to the shortest format, Khaka debuted in T20Is on September 11, 2012, against Bangladesh at Mirpur, evolving into a reliable operator with 70 wickets in 79 matches and 78 innings at 26.07 apiece and 6.86 economy. Three four-wicket hauls highlight her potency, none more iconic than her 4/23 against Ireland at Solihull on September 9, 2014, defending 162 for a 46-run win. With 52 runs in 19 innings, she remains a fighter till the end with a bat in hand too, blending skill and seniority across 200 International caps in total.
As the series decider looms on 4th April 2026 (Saturday) from 3:30 AM IST at the same venue, Ayabonga Khaka’s milestones remind us why veterans like her are gold for women’s cricket, unyielding, inspirational, and ever-ready to swing games with the ball in hand for the Proteas.
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