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Earlier this week, former South Africa Women captain Dane van Niekerk announced her decision to revoke her international retirement. The decision from the 32-year-old came with the Women’s Cricket World Cup just a month away. With the former Protea international taking a u-turn on her retirement, she was also named in the training squad, which has been grueling hard.
While the decision came as a shock, Protea Women head coach Mandla Mashimbyi recently spoke of Dane van Niekerk’s possibility of making into the squad for the upcoming Women’s World Cup 2025, set to be played from September 30 to November 2 in India and Sri Lanka. It is to be noted that the 32-year-old last played international cricket in September 2021 and missed the ODI World Cup in 2022 due to an ankle fracture.
Definitely not part of this World Cup: Mandla Mashimbyi on Dane van Niekerk’s participation in CWC 2025
After failing to meet the fitness requirement ahead of the T20 World Cup 2023, Niekerk finally put down curtains on her international career in March 2023. But as she looks to get into the scheme of things, the Protea head coach recently dropped a big statement on Van Niekerk’s availability in Women’s CWC 2025. “She’s just part of the bigger or broader base of players that we’re trying to bring into out environment. She’s definitely not part of this World Cup. She’s not going,” Mashimbyi said.
“We wanted to bring her in and actually expose her to the environment so that she can understand what the expectations are. Hopefully she can carry on from here onwards and really understand how she wants to go about things. And then one day when she gets a call up, you know, she can come in and have an impact immediately,” the head coach added.
South Africa Women’s squad for training camp:
Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Luyanda Nzuza, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Miane Smit, Faye Tunnicliffe, Dan van Viekerk.
