South Africa, the semi-finalists in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup, announced their 15-member squad on February 4, for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup to be played in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.
Squad: Sune Luus (c), Chloe Tryon (vc), Ayabonga Khaka, Lara Goodall, Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Maria Klaas, Mignon du Preez, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Tumi Sekhukhune.
Player Profile
Sune Luus:
She will be the stand-in captain of South Africa, in the absence of their regular captain Dane van Niekerk. The all-rounder has featured in 92 ODIs since her debut in 2012. The right handed batter has scored 1416 runs and has picked up 108 wickets bowling leg spin. As a captain, she has led the side in 20 ODIs, winning 11 of them.
Chloe Tryon:
She is a hard hitting right handed middle order bat and is one of the best finishers in the team. She has played 83 ODIs and has a strike rate of close to 100, with eight half-centuries to her name. With the ball, the left arm spinner has 38 ODI wickets, at an economy of just over four runs per over.
Ayabonga Khaka:
She is a right arm seamer who bowls well with the new ball. She is consistent with her lines and lengths. She is just four shy of completing 100 ODI wickets and is fifth on the list of South African cricketers in women’s ODIs. She has one five-wicket haul and one four-fer to her name.
Lara Goodall:
She is a left handed middle order bat, having featured in 33 ODIs for South Africa since her debut in 2016. She has scored 439 runs in 27 innings, including a couple of half centuries. She was a part of the South African team for the West Indies series that was played just before the World Cup.
Laura Wolvaardt:
The right handed top order batter has been in good form in the recent past. She had a good outing against the West Indies during the ODI series that was played in January this year. She scored 171 runs in four ODIs, including a match-winning century. She is an experienced campaigner with 2482 runs in 65 ODI innings, including 21 half centuries and three centuries. She is the world number nine batter in women’s ODI cricket.
Lizelle Lee:
She is an attacking right handed opening batter with a strike rate close to 85 in the ODI format. She is the second highest run getter for South Africa in women’s ODIs with 3234 runs in 92 innings, including 23 half centuries and three centuries. She is the world number seven batter in women’s ODI cricket. She can also keep wickets.
Marizanne Kapp:
She is the number three all-rounder in the world of women’s ODI cricket. She is a right handed middle order batter and a right arm seamer. She has over 2000 ODI runs in 98 innings and over 100 wickets in ODIs. She is the sixth highest run getter and third highest wicket taker for South Africa.
Masabata Maria Klaas:
This right arm speedster has been playing international cricket for South Africa since 2010. She has featured in 52 ODIs and picked up 44 wickets in 50 innings, including the best of 3-27. She bowls at an economy of under five runs per over. She was a part of the team for the recently concluded West Indies series.
Mignon du Preez:
She is the most prolific batter of South Africa in women’s ODIs. She is a right handed top order bat, who has played 146 ODIs since her debut in 2007. With 3599 runs in 133 innings, she is the leading run scorer for South Africa in women’s ODIs. She has registered a couple of centuries and 17 half centuries in the process.
Nonkululeko Mlaba:
She is a left arm spinner, who is relatively new to international cricket, having made her debut in 2019. She has featured in eight ODIs so far and has accounted for four wickets. She was a part of the Proteas’ squad for the West Indies series that was played just before the World Cup.
Shabnim Ismail:
She is the bowling spearhead of South Africa. The right arm speedster is one of the best in the business. She is the world number five bowler in women’s ODI cricket. With 164 wickets in 114 ODI innings, she is the leading wicket-taker of South Africa. A good new ball bowler, she will open the bowling for the Proteas.
Sinalo Jafta:
She is a wicket-keeper and a right handed batter. She has featured in 16 ODIs for South Africa since her debut in 2016. She has mustered 82 runs in 11 innings, including the best of 28 not out. Behind the stumps, she has accounted for nine catches with the gloves.
Tazmin Brits:
She is a right handed top order batter who made her international debut for South Africa in 2021. Since then she has played seven ODIs and scored 177 runs, including the best of 48. In the recently concluded West Indies series, she opened the batting with Laura Wolvaardt in all the four ODIs and gave good starts to the team.
Trisha Chetty:
She is a wicket-keeper and a right handed batter. With 120 ODIs under her belt, she is the second most experienced player in the side behind Mignon du Preez. She has registered 2599 runs in 103 innings, including 16 half centuries. Behind the stumps, she has 118 catches and 49 stumpings, which makes her not only the most successful South African wicket-keeper, but also the wicket-keeper with the most dismissals in the history of women’s ODI cricket.
Tumi Sekhukhune:
She is a right arm seamer, who has played 21 ODIs for South Africa since her debut in 2018. She has picked up 20 wickets in 19 innings, including the best of 2-20. She has an economy of under four and a half runs per over.
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.