The Cricket South Africa selectors have announced a 17-player squad for the upcoming Women's T20 International Tri-Series, featuring India and the West Indies. The squad includes two uncapped players, Annerie Dercksen and Tebogo Macheke, both of whom have been a part of recent national training camps and have delivered consistent performances in domestic competitions.
The Proteas Women, led by Sune Luus, will be utilizing this home series as a final preparation before hosting the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023, which begins on February 10. Chloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp, Shabnim Ismail and Laura Wolvaardt are among the players returning to the squad after participating in the Women's Big Bash League in Australia.
Unfortunately, Dane van Niekerk and veteran wicketkeeper Trisha Chetty were not included in the squad. Van Niekerk missed out on eligibility for selection following an unsuccessful bid to meet the national benchmark standards in the physical battery assessment, and Chetty is still recovering from a persistent back injury.
Convenor of selectors, Clinton du Preez, said that the tri-series is a great opportunity for the team to close out the squad before the World Cup. Du Preez also noted that the two uncapped players, Dercksen and Macheke, have grown immensely and will bring much depth and versatility to the team. The tri-series will also provide a great opportunity for all players to stake a claim
"They've shown a lot of improvement and I am looking forward to their involvement and how we can maximize the opportunity of them being in the squad. It's a great occasion for them to come up against two strongholds in India and the West Indies, which will really test the resilience of the two players," du Preez added.
South Africa squad for T20I Series:
Sune Luus (Captain), Chloe Tryon, (Vice-Captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tebogo Macheke, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt.