Photo Credit: ICC
Cricket South Africa (CSA) is delighted to unveil the 15-member Proteas Women squad, primed for an unprecedented journey to Pakistan.
This historic tour is set to feature a three-match T20 International (T20I) series alongside a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series, all set to unfold at the National Stadium in Karachi from 01 – 14 September.
The touring contingent proudly welcomes back 12 of the illustrious 15 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 heroines. Alongside them stands the inclusion of seamer Tumi Sekhukhune, who narrowly missed out on World Cup selection after being named as part of the non-travelling reserves for the tournament.
All-rounder Chloé Tryon, who requested a leave of absence, and the promising Annerie Dercksen, who is on the path to recovery from a fractured finger on her right hand, will not participate in the Pakistan tour.
Suné Luus, who led South Africa to the nation’s first-ever senior World Cup final earlier this year, will no longer continue her interim captaincy post the tournament and CSA is set to announce the new captain before the commencement of the Pakistan white-ball tour, ensuring a seamless transition and continued success for the team.
Following the conclusion of his contract on 30 June, Proteas Women head coach Hilton Moreeng along with his support staff have received a contract extension through to 31 December. Moreeng and the current management team will oversee the tour to Pakistan, the inbound tour against New Zealand as well as the pending home Bangladesh tour in December, which forms part of the Women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) 2022-25.
Looking ahead, the spotlight shines brightly on debutante Mieke de Ridder, a wicket-keeper batter from Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers. The 27-year-old’s exceptional domestic performance during the 2022/23 CSA Women’s Provincial campaign has earned her a momentous call-up after helping to steer the newly-promoted Garden Route Badgers to a commendable mid-table position.
De Ridder’s prowess was evident in the preceding season, placing her among the top-performing wicket-keepers. Notably, she secured nine catches in the One-Day encounters and an additional three in the T20 fixtures.
In a return to the international arena, all-rounder Nondumiso Shangase who captained and excelled for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in the previous season has secured her spot in the squad. Her recall is a testament to her unwavering commitment, offering her the prospect to further enrich her international record of 14 caps (7 ODI, 7 T20). Shangase’s most recent appearance for the Proteas dates back to the West Indies tour in September 2021.
Shangase’s talents manifested in the shorter format, as she amassed an impressive tally of 13 wickets at an average of 7.69. Her performance designated her as the premier wicket-taker in the T20 competition.
Proteas Women Squad – South Africa Tour to Pakistan 2023/24:
Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Nadine de Klerk (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Mieke de Ridder* (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Lara Goodall (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Delmi Tucker (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Laura Wolvaardt (Fidelity Titans)
CSA Proteas Women Convenor of Selectors, Clinton du Preez said:
“We are looking forward to returning to competition, especially heading to Pakistan. The core of the squad has remained together post the World Cup and we have a few additions to ensure that we address certain shortcomings in the squad.
“This is also an opportunity for players like Mieke de Ridder to come in and cover the area of wicket-keeper on the back of a great season provincially and also through the winter at the CSA National Academy. Nondumiso (Shangase) is also returning on the back of a good season after being out of the squad for a while and is now an option when going to the subcontinent, where the additional spinner adds balance to the squad, which is what we require.
“Going into the subcontinent is always a challenge but I do believe we have a group of players that can compete. Starting with the T20I is important because it gives us an opportunity to acclimatize before we get into the 50-over matches which count towards the ICC Women’s Championship (IWC).
“We want to do well in the IWC and 50-over competitions to ensure qualification for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 is guaranteed and I believe the players and management will be able to ensure that we balance the opportunity and the success of the tour at the end of the day,” he noted.
CSA Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe commented:
“It fills me with immense pride to witness the historic moment of the Proteas Women embarking on their maiden tour to Pakistan. This marks a significant step forward and I express my heartiest wishes to our talented players as they go on this momentous journey and the first tour of the 2023/24 season. To our players and coaching staff, go forth and make further history. The South African cricketing fraternity stands united in support of your endeavours.
“I would like to take this opportunity to share my heartfelt gratitude to Hilton Moreeng for his unwavering commitment and exceptional service to the Proteas Women’s team since 2012. Hilton’s contributions have been instrumental in shaping the team’s success, and his leadership has been invaluable. We extend our best wishes to Hilton for the remainder of his current contract, and I am confident that he will continue to steer the team towards greater heights,”
“On behalf of CSA and the team, I am also eager to declare my sincere appreciation to Suné Luus for her outstanding leadership and remarkable achievements during her time as interim captain. We have full confidence that she will continue to be a guiding force both on and off the field, offering valuable support to the incoming captain,” he further stated.
Fixtures – South Africa Tour to Pakistan 2023/24:
T20I Series:
Friday, 01 September 2023 @ 16h30 SAST – 1st T20I – Pakistan vs South Africa (National Stadium, Karachi)
Sunday, 03 September 2023 @ 16h30 SAST – 2nd T20I – Pakistan vs South Africa (National Stadium, Karachi)
Tuesday, 05 September 2023 @ 16h30 SAST – 3rd T20I – Pakistan vs South Africa (National Stadium, Karachi)
ODI Series:
Friday, 08 September 2023 @ 12h30 SAST – 1st ODI – Pakistan vs South Africa (National Stadium, Karachi)
Monday, 11 September 2023 @ 12h30 SAST – 2nd ODI – Pakistan vs South Africa (National Stadium, Karachi)
Thursday, 14 September 2023 @ 12h30 SAST – 3rd ODI – Pakistan vs South Africa (National Stadium, Karachi)
