Proteas Women announce strong squad for tough multi-format tour against India

The Proteas Women announced a near full-strength side for the One Day International and Test match leg of their three-week multiformat tour to India next month.

Lara Goodall (minor hamstring), Chloe Tryon (back), and Ayanda Hlubi (groin) are the only regular squad members missing from the 16-player team announcement as they recover from various injuries.

The T20I squad has not been announced yet, with the three-match series set for the end of the tour with an eye toward the T20 World Cup later in the year.

Goodall, Tryon and Hlubi will each be aiming to recover in time for the short format series.

The rest of the experienced Proteas Women squad features the return of SA Emerging and Dolphins all-rounder Nondumiso Shangase, who rejoins the national team for the first time since the Bangladesh tour in December 2023.

Additionally, Garden Route Badgers wicketkeeper Mieke de Ridder returns after missing the recent tour against Sri Lanka due to a hand injury, replacing 16-year-old Karabo Meso in the squad.

Opening batter Tazmin Brits also returns to the fray as she continues to recover from a knee operation she underwent in April after suffering an injury in the home series against Sri Lanka. Brits will undergo a fitness test before the team departs, to determine the extent of her participation in the tour.

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“Everyone’s excited and looking forward to the tour to India,” interim coach Dillon du Preez said.

“So far, preparation has been great. We had a big focus on options against spin and it was good to see the buy-in from the team.

“We also have new management involved, so this would be a great opportunity for them to find their feet before we come back and start our preparation for the World Cup.

“The key for us would be to assess the conditions as soon as possible, be calm under pressure and try and play key moments in the game better than the opposition. We all know a series against India in India will always be tough.

“Looking at our previous series against Sri Lanka, as a team we agreed that we need to improve and be more consistent in our overall execution,” he added.

Itinerary

Before departing for India on Saturday, 8 June, the team will gather for a pre-tour camp in Tshwane from 4-8 June to fine-tune their skills in preparation for the conditions in the subcontinent.

The Proteas Women will play a warm-up match against a Board President’s XI on 13 June at Bengaluru.

The tour in India officially begins with three ODIs from 16 June which form part of the Women’s Championship for 2022-2025, which in turn forms part of the qualification process for the 50-over World Cup in India next year.

A one-off Test match will follow in Chennai before the three T20Is to complete the tour, ending on 9 July.

“We have a multiformat tour which requires various strategic thought processes,” said Clinton du Preez, Proteas Women Convenor of Selectors.

“One being the ICC Women’s Championship, and we’re looking to strengthen our position on the log for automatic qualification.

“The T20Is are in preparation for the World Cup, and especially with this tour and the T20 World Cup being played on the subcontinent, this gives us a final opportunity to look at options within our squad as to how we set up for the upcoming World Cup.” DM

Proteas Women ODI and Test Squad – Outbound Tour to India

Laura Wolvaardt (Captain) (Titans), Anneke Bosch (Titans), Tazmin Brits ( Lions), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Garden Route Badgers), Mieke de Ridder (Garden Route Badgers), Sinalo Jafta (Lions), Marizanne Kapp (Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (Lions) (ODI Squad Only), Masabata Klaas (Titans), Suné Luus (Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Titans), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (Lions), Nondumiso Shangase (Dolphins), ⁠Delmi Tucker (Western Province)