T20 WORLD CUP TEAM GUIDE: South Africa' fitness policy has led to Dane van Niekerk being left out of their squad for the showpiece home tournament. Can those left behind rally to reach a first T20 World Cup final, ask ELIZABETH BOTCHERBY...
Coach: Hilton Moreeng
Hoping to deliver a world title on home soil is Hilton Moreeng, a former domestic cricketer in South Africa and the long-term head coach of the women's national side. Since taking on the role in 2012, his side have reached the semi-finals of two T20 World Cups (2014, 2020) and two 50-over World Cups (2017, 2022).
However, despite having home advantage, he could be in for a stiffer challenge this time round with his side languishing in fifth position in the ICC rankings, behind Australia, England, India and New Zealand.
Captain: Sune Luus
Unfortunately for Luus, unless she steers South Africa to victory (or at least the final) people will always wonder how different it would have been if Dane van Niekerk had been selected. The 29-year-old, South Africa's regular skipper, was controversially left out of the 15-strong squad after failing to meet Cricket South Africa's fitness requirements.
Luus has previously taken the reins for South Africa at a major tournament, leading her side at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup (reaching the semi-finals). The 29-year-old is a veteran international and, all being well, should bring up a number of milestones (100 T20I caps, 1000 runs and 50 wickets) during the tournament.
Chloe Tryon has been appointed vice-captain.
Sune Luus captains South Africa [Getty Images]
Superstars
A trio of eye-catching names spread throughout the disciplines: top-order batter Laura Wolvaardt, allrounder Marizanne Kapp, and speedster Shabnim Ismail.
As Perth Scorchers and Oval Invincibles can attest, Kapp, match-winning performances and silverware go together like ham, egg and chips - now she needs to work her magic on the international stage. With the bat, she's an intimidating pinch-hitter who, on her day, can take down bowling attacks for fun; with the ball, she is capable of wreaking havoc at any stage of an innings.
Ismail, at her best, is one of the fastest bowlers on the women's circuit and a menace in the powerplay. She begins the tournament in fourth place in the all-time wicket-taking charts in women's T20Is.
As for Wolvaardt, at the ripe old age of 24 she is one of the best batters in women's cricket, and South Africa's backbone. Though traditionally a No.3/No.4 for South Africa, she excelled as an anchoring opener in WBBL08 and has recently transitioned into that role on the international stage as well.
Rising star
In a bowling attack dominated by pace, Nonkululeko Mlaba sticks as South Africa's front-line spinner. The 22-year-old left-armer made her T20I debut back in September 2019 but only truly burst onto the international scene in the past 12 months after becoming a three-format international. In 2022, she was her side's leading wicket-taker in T20Is, picking up nine wickets in seven outings (5.61 economy).
Expect to see her predominantly in the middle overs, although she has been known to take an over or two at the death and has recently taken to opening the bowling with Kapp.
Nonkululeko Mlaba is a rising star for South Africa [Getty Images]
BATTING
Power hitters
Vice-captain Tryon is the standout performer here. She boasts a strike rate just shy of 140 in T20Is (it climbed as high as 159.09 in 2022) while only Lizelle Lee (48) has scored more sixes in the format for South Africa. Oh, and she heads into this tournament among the top seven six-hitters in Women's T20 World Cup history.
Though they pale in comparison to Tryon's six hitting, Luus and Wolvaardt are no slouches when it comes to finding the boundary. The latter scored 47 fours (and one six) during the 2022/23 WBBL – only Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry scored more. Sometimes, placement can trump power.
Anchor
This is Wolvaardt's territory. A top-order batter, she averages around 30 and strikes at 100-110 in the format, although as she's shown in The Hundred (where she boasts a strike rate of 126.55) she can go big when required. WBBL08 was perhaps a breakout campaign for the 24-year-old: playing predominantly as an opening batter, she scored a team-leading 403 runs at a rate of 106.05 for Adelaide Strikers to help them to the title.
Anneke Bosch also enjoyed a strong 2022, scoring a team-leading 256 T20I runs at 42.66 and maintained a steady strike rate of 98.84.
Finisher
Batting in the middle order, this is where you will see Tryon burst into life. She's yet to convert any of her blistering knocks into T20I half-centuries and has been a bit light on runs of late but she is a player who will come out swinging from ball one. Around 60 per cent of her T20I runs have come via boundaries so expect fireworks.
Kapp is yet to consistently bat at her best on the international stage but you don't have to dive too deep into her domestic numbers to unearth a firecracker. Take her form in The Hundred, for example. In 2021, she scored 150 runs in five innings while striking at 122.95. When she's on, she's hard to stop.
Problem areas
Without the firepower of van Niekerk and Lizelle Lee and the stability of Mignon de Preez, this batting line-up doesn't compare to how South Africa could have lined up 12 or 18 months ago – Australia and New Zealand, their main rivals in group A, will be relieved. There is a distinct lack of x-factor quality in the line-up and Tryon cuts a lonely figure as the sole powder keg in the side.
They do have a bit of depth, with Lara Goodall, Nadine de Klerk and Tazmin Brits – who scored a half-century against West Indies in January (her fifth in T20Is) – in their squad. But to accommodate extra batters, they'll have to sacrifice bowlers and that's where the quality really lies in this side.
Watch out for Laura Wolvaardt's cover drive [Getty Images]
BOWLING
Speed merchants
South Africa are not short on options in this department. Left-armer Ismail, who can touch 80mph at her best, headlines the attack and her name alone will intimidate a fair few batters in Group A. She is her country's leading women's T20I wicket-taker, was the leading light in a poor WBBL campaign for Melbourne Renegades (11 wickets, 6.95 economy), and together with Kapp forms an intimidating right-arm, left-arm partnership with the new ball.
Ayabonga Khaka is the unsung player in the attack. She doesn't have the of Ismail, instead offering consistency, accuracy and enough variations to bookend the innings – a solid and reliable change bowler.
And then there's Masabata Klaas. The right-armer can be expensive but after a strong domestic season for North West Women, has hit the ground running in 2023, notably taking career-best figure of 4 for 21 against West Indies in January. Oozing confidence at the moment.
Allrounders de Klerk – who picked up eight wickets in 2022, second only to Mlaba, Bosch (both right-arm medium pace) and left-armer Tryon offer additional depth.
Variation
As mentioned, Mlaba is South Africa's chief spin weapon and is rapidly carving out a reputation as a bowler who can be utilised in any phase of the game. Expect the middle overs to be her primary domain, however. The youngster looked very impressive during the tri-series against India and West Indies, taking six wickets and best figures of 2 for 15 (against India), and given the success of spinners in the Under-19s World Cup, she should be set for a big role.
Captain Luus offers additional support with the ball, bowling right-arm leg-spin. She is, however, only an occasional spinner, which does highlight yet another area where South Africa will miss the influence of van Niekerk.
Problem areas
Not having a quality, dedicated second spinner (van Niekerk) to support Mlaba is an oversight but on the whole, this attack is full of promise and variety. However, given the gaps in the batting, they may be forced to bench a bowling option or two in order to accommodate extra batting depth.
Shabnim Ismail is among the quickest female bowlers on the planet [Getty Images]
FIELDING
Who takes the gloves?
Sinalo Jafta looks to have cemented her place behind the stumps: the 28-year-old took the gloves at the Commonwealth Games and during January's tri-series against India and West Indies. Indeed, in her T20I career to date, if she's been on field, she's had the gloves. In the absence of Trisha Chetty, Brits is the most likely understudy.
Squad: Sune Luus (c), Chloe Tryon (vc), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Laura Wolvaardt, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Delmi Tucker, Annerie Dercksen
Reserves: Micaéla Andrews, Tebogo Macheke, Tumi Sekhukhune
Fixtures: February 10 – Sri Lanka (Newlands Cricket Ground, 5pm GMT), February 13 – New Zealand (Boland Park, 5pm GMT), February 18 – Australia (St George's Park, 5pm GMT), February 21 – Bangladesh (Newlands Cricket Ground, 5pm GMT)
Possible starting XI: Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta, Shabnim Ismail, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba