Why did Dane van Niekerk come out of retirement?
Dané van Niekerk, a former captain and strong player for South Africa, is one of 20 players chosen for a home training camp as the Proteas get ready for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
Van Niekerk, who said she was done with international cricket last year, revealed her decision to change her mind in a poignant social media post. She wrote, “I’m so happy to say that I’ve decided to take back my retirement from international cricket.”
“The time away has made me realize how much I miss representing my country, and I’m fully committed to giving everything I have to have that chance again.”
The training camp will start on August 25 in Durban and last until September.
After the tournament, South Africa will go to Pakistan for a three-match ODI series that starts on September 16. This will be their last task before the World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka.
The camp squad is missing captain Laura Wolvaardt and seasoned all-rounders Chloé Tryon and Marizanne Kapp, who are presently playing in The Hundred.
In the meantime, uncapped all-rounder Luyanda Nzuza, who played for South Africa in the U19 Women’s World Cup earlier this year, has been called up to the senior team for the first time.
Head coach Mandla Mashimbyi said he was looking forward to the camp and stressed how important it was for getting ready for the world event.
“Being a part of this group as we get ready for the World Cup is very exciting right now.” Mashimbyi added, “The players have worked very hard over the past few months to get ready for that first ball against England in India.”
“This camp in Durban will be very important for helping us finish up important parts of our preparation and making sure we check off all the boxes before we get on the plane as a group.” Pakistan will also be a good way to see how far we’ve come as a team before the event.
“We’ve worked hard to make sure the right mix of players and skills are on the team for a successful World Cup.” We’ve also brought in people like Luyanda and Dané to see what they can do for the group in the near future.
In early September, the final teams for both the World Cup and the Pakistan series will be announced.
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