South Africa make change to squad ahead of Sri Lanka tri-series
Three players have also earned their first call-ups to the senior national team. Wicketkeeper Karabo Meso and spinner Seshnie Naidu, both of whom represented South Africa at the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year, have been named in the tri-series squad.
They are joined by all-rounder Miané Smit, who previously travelled as a reserve during last year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
Proteas Women Squad:
Laura Wolvaardt (Captain), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Nondumiso Shangase, Miané Smit, Chloé Tryon.
The Wolvaardt-led side will take on India in their opening clash on Tuesday, 29 April at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Cricket Council
2 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Graeme Smith: The born leader who made South Africa believe
Making over 17,000 international runs, and a prevalent leader for the Proteas for a bulk of his career, Graeme Smith has been enshrined in the ICC Hall of Fame. Originally brought in as a supporting act to the reliable pairing of Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith soon made a name for himself as a tall, imposing opener with a propensity to take the challenge head-on. And only a year into international cricket, Smith was given the ultimate test by South Africa's selectors, being handed over the captaincy reins in the aftermath of a heartbreaking home ICC Men's Cricket World Cup campaign in 2003. Proteas' Relentless Leader | Graeme Smith | ICC Hall of Fame graeme SMITH HALL OF FAME (2025-06-09 13:36:12Z) At 22, when most international cricketers are vying for a place in the XI, Smith was tasked with lifting South Africa's fortunes after the loss of big-name players like Allan Donald, Jonty Rhodes and Daryll Cullinan. True to his nature, Smith took the challenge head-on, etching a new chapter in South Africa's cricketing history, transforming the perennially 'nearly there' Proteas into a force that achieved new landmarks. His captaincy exploits were matched by his batting brilliance, and the left-hander ended with the most wins as a Test captain (53) while also finishing with 17,236 runs in international cricket. Debuting against a formidable Australian Test side led by Steve Waugh, Smith fell early in his first batting outing to the great Glenn McGrath. However, not to be deterred, Smith hit a sublime 68 in the second innings, showcasing that he had the goods to make it at the highest level. A string of impressive ODI and Test performances followed, including a double ton in just his third Test against Bangladesh. After the captaincy challenge was hurled at Smith in 2003, making him the youngest-ever South African to lead the Men's side, the left-handed opener took to the task of reversing South Africa's downturns with a fervour. The batter smashed back-to-back double hundreds (277 and 259) against England in just his 11th and 12th Tests in the same year. Despite individual success, which saw Smith being included in the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year in 2005, he faced mixed results as a skipper. While the side continued to shine in ODI cricket, especially at home, beating the likes of Australia, Pakistan, India and England, ICC trophy success eluded the side. On the Test front, they struggled away in Asia and Australia, and also had to contend with series losses to England and Australia. Despite all the success at home, including series wins against India and Pakistan in 2006/07, South Africa had not regained their Test potency of the late 90s. While Smith's team shone bright at the 2007 Cricket World Cup and the inaugural ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which they also hosted, the Proteas ultimately flattered to deceive. However, it was towards the end of this year that South Africa got a second wind under Smith. Souring the farewell of Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Proteas showed great determination in Pakistan to win both the Test and ODI series towards the end of 2007, with Smith leading the way with 474 runs across the white and red-ball contests. A historical landmark was achieved early in the following year when Smith partnered with Neil McKenzie in an opening stand of 415 against Bangladesh, thus breaking Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy's 1956 feat to become the highest-ever batting partnership for the first wicket in Tests. South Africa won easily in Bangladesh, before holding a strong Indian lineup for a 1-1 series draw in India. Early promise turned for the better as South Africa won a Test series in England for the first time since their readmission to cricket, with Smith leading the way with a series-winning performance in Birmingham, with his 154* sealing a chase of 281. The Proteas' grit and courage were, however, best in show Down Under, when they handed Australia their first-ever home Test series defeat since the 1992/93. Smith marshalled the troops with aplomb while also smashing a match-winning hundred at the WACA and scoring fighting twin 50s in Melbourne. His resolve for a fight was best displayed in the dead rubber in Sydney, when despite a broken arm, the batter walked out to face Mitchell Johnson in full flight. This was South Africa's maiden Test series win in Australia. Smith had a year to remember, finding a place in the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year and scoring 1656 runs in 2008, the fourth-most by any Men's player in a calendar year. From 2007 until the end of Smith's tenure, South Africa did not lose a Test series away from home, including repeat series wins in England and Australia, the former of which got them to the No.1 rank as a Test side in 2012. Smith continued notching up the big runs, especially in the Test arena, wherein he averaged close to 45 in the final five years of his career. His output in limited overs remained consistent too, with a feisty 141 in a losing cause against England at the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 being his career best. Under Smith, South Africa regained the sharp edge, reminiscent of the earlier Proteas sides, while also managing historical feats. And in March 2014, having already given up the ODI leadership in 2011, at the age of just 33, Smith retired from international cricket after a home series against Australia. 8659 of his 9265 runs in Tests came when he captained, about 2000 more than the next best Allan Border. And with 6989 ODI runs and 982 T20I runs, Smith also left his mark on the Proteas limited-overs outfit. Yet Smith's legacy would go beyond his impressive numbers.. Under Smith, the Proteas not only reclaimed their identity as a competitive group but also became known as a side that could excel across conditions and walk the talk.
Int'l Cricket Council
2 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Hashim Amla: A rock in defence, blissful in attack
Revered for his graft and toil in tough periods, but also a modern record-setter in the faster formats, Hashim Amla's tally of almost 19,000 international runs for South Africa has been recognised with his induction into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. With 55 international centuries to his name, and selected six times across ICC Team of the Year selections across formats, Amla is regarded as one of the first three-format greats. On the occasion, Amla was thankful for the recognition. "It is an honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, especially alongside Graeme. "The Hall of Fame includes some of the most celebrated players in the history of cricket, all of whom have big achievements. Such recognition feels surreal, and I am really thankful." The Master of Class | Hashim Amla | ICC Hall of Fame Finding his feet (and hands) in the international game Amla's stance, trigger movement, and twirl in his backlift were truly his own, and eventually effective, having found his feet after a slow start to international cricket. Debuting in 2004, Amla did not pass 25 in his first six innings, though the right-hander hit back through a stunning comeback innings of 149 (408) against New Zealand in Cape Town in April 2006, saving the match for the Proteas. Amla smashes 22 off Jordan's over The innings jumpstarted Amla's career, who averaged a touch under 60 for close to 20 Tests as a dependable No.3. Boasting centuries came in India and England, the right-hander was pivotal in South Africa's historic tour of Australia, in which he helped the Proteas to both Test and ODI series victories in the 2008/09 season. He made 259 runs in the Test series at 51.80, before leading the run-scoring charts for the Proteas in the ODI series, averaging 49.75. In 2010, featuring in a fiercely contested Test series in India, Amla arrived at the peak of his powers, returning with 253*,* 114 and 123 runs from his three innings on the tour. He made an unbeaten century against Pakistan and a home hundred against India in the same year, before compiling tons in both Tests of a drawn home series against Australia in the following year. Making of a Champion - Hashim Amla A tough Test opponent, and a force against the white-ball For all of his success in Test whites, it was the ODI format where Amla was the yardstick of his generation, racing to milestones at breakneck speed. With some questions on whether he could flourish, Amla once again quashed the critics. In 2010, he turned into a run machine, making five centuries and four fifties in the space of 15 innings, raising his bat across the world - in India, the West Indies, on home soil and the UAE - during his purple patch. Amla became the fastest batter to reach 2000 ODI runs in 2011 (40 innings), and was the quickest to score 10 ODI hundreds when he made a spectacular 150 (124) against England in Southampton in 2012. The latter record was later usurped by fellow Protea Quinton de Kock, though his march to 20 ODI hundreds off just 108 innings, remains not only untouched but unrivalled, with Virat Kohli's 133 innings the next best. In the race to ODI run milestones, Amla remains among the best years after his retirement. His run to 7000 ODI runs (150 innings) remains a record, with his run to 8000 (176) only second to Virat Kohli's (175). In the T20I arena, Amla accelerated through a mix of power and craft, making his international runs at an average of 33.60 and a strike rate of an impressive 132.05. Hashim Amla after reaching his triple hundred against England in 2012 // Getty Images A bowler's nightmare in all conditions Genius in shot selection, surgical in shot placement, deliveries full and outside off-stump got the cover drive treatment, and as bowlers honed their lines closer to off-stump, Amla was an expert in whipping into leg-side gaps. He enjoyed stints atop both ODI and Test ICC Batting Rankings, and was a thorn in the side of opponents whether at home or on tour, underlined by strong records across the world and shown through series victories home and away. His 55 international hundreds, split almost evenly across the two longer formats, is only bettered by five other batters, with his 18,553 runs making him the third-most prolific run scorer for his country behind AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis. His 311* in a victory against England at The Oval in 2012 remains the only Test triple century for the Proteas, and his run from 2010 to 2013 was reflected by four consecutive ICC Men's Test Team of the Year selections. Amla was also selected in the ODI Team of the Year in 2013 and 2015. Amla was also awarded South Africa's Order of Ikhamanga in 2018, a national award for his achievements in cricket, and retired from international cricket in 2019. ICC - Hall of FameNewsMen's NewsHashim Amla
Int'l Cricket Council
3 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
South Africa coach issues passionate message to Proteas
By Jonathan Healy, at Lord's South Africa coach Shukri Conrad wants his players to embrace the prospect of taking on Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's and not let nerves or the enormity of the one-off Test effect his side. The Proteas arrived in London having finished on top of the World Test Championship standings and on the back of seven straight Test triumphs, but enter the Ultimate Test as the underdogs against a powerful Australia outfit that hold onto the mace following their victory over India at The Oval two years ago. Finale fever hits Lord's as South Africa and Australia lock in | WTC Final 2025 The WTC 2025 Final beckons! For many of South Africa's new-look squad it will be their first match at the Home of Cricket and Conrad does not want his team to be overawed by the situation. "It's difficult not to get the place out of your system. We've almost taken the chance to embrace whatever comes with it," Conrad said at Lord's on Monday when asked about the significance of playing at the iconic venue. "Just to really embrace the occasion, because it is a huge occasion and we can't wish it away. "These were some of the conversations that we had last night, around taking it in and just making sure you set yourself down and we'd rather than wish it away. "There are going to be nerves and the excitement levels are starting to ramp up as you are aware, so we have to embrace the occasion and I would rsther be a part of it than not." Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins photoshoot chat before the Lord's clash | WTC Final 2025 BTS from the captains' photoshoot ahead of the WTC25 Final. The match in London will also provide South Africa with a chance to break their long-standing drought without a men's ICC trophy, with the side not having tasted success at an ICC tournament since they claimed the ICC KnockOut Trophy event back in 1998. While Conrad acknowledged the relevance some people may place on this fact, the message for his players has remained constant. "Most of these guys weren't even born in 1998," Conrad stated. "I'm here to build this group with anything that's gone before. But again, just like the previous question, you can't wish things away. We want to and we need to win another ICC event. "Whatever the tags come along, we don't fear just another occasion to set the record straight and to get that first title. "And you can only win it if you play finals and the more finals you play, you obviously improve your chances of winning and we've got another chance here." Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad was at South Africa training at Lord's on Monday, with the legendary right-armer providing some assistance to the Proteas prior to the Test in a part-time consulting role . Conrad revealed he and his fellow coaches had dinner with Broad on Sunday night and the team received plenty of valuable insight ahead of the one-off clash against Australia. "It was enlightening," Conrad said. "We met last night, myself and the coaching group, with Broady for just a casual chat "If I didn't call time at 10.30pm then I think he'd probably still be sitting there chatting to us. "It was really enlightening and everybody walked away there thinking that was great." ICC World Test Championship Final, 2025NewsICC World Test Championship
