Dane Van Niekerk will lead the Proteas team for the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia as Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced the 15-player squad on Monday.
At a splendid send-off event held at the Imperial Wanderers Cricket Stadium, head coach Hilton Moreeng named 11 players from the 2018 T20 World Cup squad, alongside 4 T20 World Cup debutants.
The Proteas will open their pool campaign against England in Perth, then followed by Thailand, Pakistan and West Indies in the tournament which begins on February 21 and conclude on March 8, International Women's Day.
"It's a group that has the talent, youth, experience and desire to help us win the T20 World Cup. We have assembled a team that we feel can hold their own against anyone in the world and it will be important that we carry that belief into the ICC Women's T20 World Cup," Moreeng said in a statement.
"The players we have at our disposal are some of the best and most promising players in women's cricket globally and we will make sure that we give them the best tools to succeed on this big stage," he added.
"Good luck to Dane and her team who I am sure will do everything possible to make the country proud and re-ignite the spirit that almost took them to the ICC Women's World Cup Final in 2017," said CSA Acting Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith.
"Many of our senior players are household names in T20 tournaments in Australia and England and they will set the tone for the rest of the team," Smith added.
Proteas Women T20 Squad: Dane Van Niekerk (c), Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee, Mignon Du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon (v/c), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka Gauteng, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune, Trisha Chetty, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Nadine De Klerk, Nondumiso Shangase.
( With inputs from ANI )
