The Proteas Women will fight tooth and nail to make a second consecutive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final, convener of selectors Clinton du Preez said when the squad was announced in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Led by right-handed batter Laura Wolvaardt, the 15-member squad includes a host of experienced practitioners of the game such as Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon, while also boasting the talents of Tazmin Brits, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Tumi Sekhukhune, to name just a few.
Young leg spinner Seshnie Naidu, who has impressed for both the SA U19 and Emerging Women’s sides, earned a maiden national callup, while SA U19 allrounder Miane Smit was named as the travelling reserve.
Rewriting the history of women’s cricket in this country, the Proteas achieved their first appearance in a final of the event in front of a packed Newlands Cricket Stadium in Cape Town, but the encounter ultimately ended in defeat to serial winners, Australia.
Since then, the Proteas Women have yet to record a series win in the shorter format, having drawn three and lost three of their last six T20 international series.
However, Du Preez was quietly confident that this crop of players would provide the national side with that final push that could see them return home as champions.
“It has not been great,” he said when commenting on their recent form in the T20I format.
“We always felt that ODIs were our strongest format, but we want to turn the tables in T20s.
“In the build-up to this competition, we have also lost a few key players in the series’ we have played post that World Cup, so having them all back for this series [will help us] find the balance of the squad, with all of them playing their respective roles and impacting results.”
Before embarking on their quest for silverware in the United Arab Emirates, this side will face Pakistan in a three-match T20 international series between September 16-20, where they will no doubt be looking to fine tune areas they feel needs a bit of attention.
The green-and-gold-clad women have been drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, England, Scotland and 2016 champions West Indies.
With only two warm-up matches to be played in between the Pakistan series and their World Cup opener against the Windies, Du Preez said those matches would play a key role in keeping the team sharp ahead of the global showpiece.
“It is the only cricket we have left before the two warm-up games.
“When we looked at options in preparation for the World Cup, and the opportunity came for [a series against] Pakistan, we were grateful to be able to test ourselves in subcontinent conditions to see how we can push forward.
“We play to win, off the back of the benchmark being set in the final in Cape Town, we have gone through a bad patch but we are turning the tide.
“We are positive in the group, have spoken to the players about game plans and we are quite excited to see what this team can offer us,” he said.
Proteas Women squad:
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 (United Arab Emirates): Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu*, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, travelling reserve: Miane Smit*
HeraldLIVE
Proteas Women want another final appearance, says Du Preez
Image: DARREN STEWAR/GALLO IMAGES
The Proteas Women will fight tooth and nail to make a second consecutive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final, convener of selectors Clinton du Preez said when the squad was announced in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Led by right-handed batter Laura Wolvaardt, the 15-member squad includes a host of experienced practitioners of the game such as Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon, while also boasting the talents of Tazmin Brits, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Tumi Sekhukhune, to name just a few.
Young leg spinner Seshnie Naidu, who has impressed for both the SA U19 and Emerging Women’s sides, earned a maiden national callup, while SA U19 allrounder Miane Smit was named as the travelling reserve.
Rewriting the history of women’s cricket in this country, the Proteas achieved their first appearance in a final of the event in front of a packed Newlands Cricket Stadium in Cape Town, but the encounter ultimately ended in defeat to serial winners, Australia.
Since then, the Proteas Women have yet to record a series win in the shorter format, having drawn three and lost three of their last six T20 international series.
However, Du Preez was quietly confident that this crop of players would provide the national side with that final push that could see them return home as champions.
“It has not been great,” he said when commenting on their recent form in the T20I format.
“We always felt that ODIs were our strongest format, but we want to turn the tables in T20s.
“In the build-up to this competition, we have also lost a few key players in the series’ we have played post that World Cup, so having them all back for this series [will help us] find the balance of the squad, with all of them playing their respective roles and impacting results.”
Before embarking on their quest for silverware in the United Arab Emirates, this side will face Pakistan in a three-match T20 international series between September 16-20, where they will no doubt be looking to fine tune areas they feel needs a bit of attention.
The green-and-gold-clad women have been drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, England, Scotland and 2016 champions West Indies.
With only two warm-up matches to be played in between the Pakistan series and their World Cup opener against the Windies, Du Preez said those matches would play a key role in keeping the team sharp ahead of the global showpiece.
“It is the only cricket we have left before the two warm-up games.
“When we looked at options in preparation for the World Cup, and the opportunity came for [a series against] Pakistan, we were grateful to be able to test ourselves in subcontinent conditions to see how we can push forward.
“We play to win, off the back of the benchmark being set in the final in Cape Town, we have gone through a bad patch but we are turning the tide.
“We are positive in the group, have spoken to the players about game plans and we are quite excited to see what this team can offer us,” he said.
Proteas Women squad:
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 (United Arab Emirates): Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu*, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, travelling reserve: Miane Smit*
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