Marizanne Kapp returns to squad ahead of West Indies tour

JOHANNESBURG -  Cricket South Africa (CSA) has on Monday announced the Proteas Women squad that is set to embark on a tour to the West Indies for three One-Day Internationals (ODI) and three T20 Internationals (T20I) from 11 – 23 June.

All six matches will be played at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados.

The squad sees the return of Marizanne Kapp, who missed the ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka to undergo a structured conditioning block.

“I’m very excited to have Marizanne, Sekhukhune and Ayanda (Hlubi) back into the mix. Hopefully, they will come with some new energy, and they’ll be motivated to do well for the team” said head coach Mandla Mashimbyi.

Seamers Tumi Sekhukhune and Ayanda Hlubi also return to the 16-player group. All-rounder Miané Smit also earns an opportunity to make her T20I debut after recently making her bow in the ODI format.

“It’s an exciting white-ball tour ahead in the West Indies, and a fantastic opportunity for the players to continue testing their skills. The more cricket we play, the more we learn about our combinations and individual growth as a team,” said Mashimbyi.

Kapp, Sekhukhune and Hlubi replace spinner Seshnie Naidu and left-handed batter Lara Goodall, who were both part of the ODI Tri-Series against hosts Sri Lanka and India.

“Sri Lanka was tough, but we took a lot of positives out of that, and whatever gaps we’ve picked up, we want to make sure that we brush up on them. I’m looking forward to that, and the players have been working to make sure that they prepare well for the Caribbean tour,” the coach added.

This tour will enable the Proteas Women to ramp up their preparations for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, with the 50-over encounters against the Windies scheduled for 11, 14 and 17 June.