Sune Luus to lead South Africa at Women's Cricket World Cup

Lizelle Lee is set to return to the set-up after missing South Africa's ongoing series against West Indies due to Covid-19 but Dane van Niekerk misses the World Cup with a fractured ankle

Sune Luus will skipper South Africa at the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup, with Chloe Tryon as her deputy.

Regular skipper Dane van Niekerk was ruled out of the tournament in mid-January after fracturing her right ankle.

However, despite losing their talismanic captain, who has 107 ODI caps to her name, South Africa will still travel to New Zealand with a squad brimming with talent.

Mignon du Preez, Trisha Chetty, Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail all have more than 100 caps while Lizelle Lee, returning from Covid-19, Luus and Tryon have 80-plus.

Ismail, the leading ODI wicket-taker since the 2017 World Cup final, leads the pace attack, accompanied by Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune and allrounder Kapp. Nonkululeko Mlaba is the specialist spinner.

^{Shabnim Ismail is going to be one of the players to watch in New Zealand [Cameron Spencer/Getty Images]}

Laura Wolvaardt and Lee, two of the top-five ODI run-scorers since the previous tournament, headline a stacked batting line-up, which also includes Luus, Tryon, du Preez and Lara Goodall. Opener Tazmin Brits is the least experienced member of the squad, with just seven caps to her name.

Sinalo Jafta and Chetty will compete for the gloves.

Nadine de Klerk, Anneke Bosh and Raisibe Ntozakhe will accompany the 15-strong squad as traveling reserves.

Selector Clinton du Preez said: "The squad was not just brought together in the last few months, it's a process that we commenced in 2017 and we identified certain areas that we needed to strengthen. There were strategic selections made through various camps and tours that we've had and played prior to this.

"In 2020, when we went to New Zealand, we clinched the ODI series and from there that just set the tone for us to go and push on for the ODI World Cup and I think it is important that all the hard work has been put in, including the selections for the playing conditions that we see ourselves facing.

"Our team is ready to compete, and our team is ready to go further than just the semi-final berth and go and try and clinch the World Cup."

South Africa squad: Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Lara Goodall, Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Mignon du Preez, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Tumi Sekhukhune

Reserves: Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Raisibe Ntozakhe

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