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Cape Town - Cricket South Africa on Thursday, announced the Momentum Proteas squad that will take part in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 from 08 March to 03 April 2016 in India.
South Africa will face tough competition in Group A, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland but coach, Hilton Moreeng is confident of his team’s chances to qualify out of the group stage.
“From a selection point of view and from the preparation we have done in the last two years, we think we have selected the best squad for the conditions that we will be faced with,” he said. “It’s a well-balanced squad with lots of experience and a bit of youth. We’ve given ourselves the best chance to play well and compete, as well as to qualify for the knock out phase.”
Moreeng is fortunate to have a squad that is used to playing in sub-continent conditions. He believes that the ICC Women’s Championship series that the side has been playing in mostly sub-continent conditions has helped them in their preparation for India.
“The fact that our first three series in the Women’s Championship were in the sub-continent has helped us a lot in terms of getting players used to those kinds of conditions and pitches,” he continued. “Eighty percent of the squad going to the World T20 has been exposed to sub-continent conditions, especially India, so there won’t be too many players who will be experiencing the conditions for the first time.”
In the previous World T20 (2014), South Africa knocked New Zealand out of the quarter-finals to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time ever. Moreeng believes that he has a side that can pull off another similar upset.
“Players learn all the time and what better way to learn than from the ones who have done so before. We’ve played some of the top teams in the world of late. We have just finished a series against England and are busy with one against West Indies now. The exposure to top-notch players is invaluable for what we are trying to prepare for. The confidence in the team is much higher now, we all know that on the day in a T20 match anything can happen, one over can swing the game either way so the execution of our skills on the day will be key.”
CSA Chief Executive, Mr Haroon Lorgat wished the side well ahead of the tournament:
“We extend our very best wishes to our Momentum Women’s National squad for a successful campaign at the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 in India. We were encouraged by their improved performances at the last tournament in 2014 when they reached the semi-finals for the first time ever.
“They have played some competitive cricket in their most recent series against the number two ranked England team and there is reason to be optimistic that they will represent us with pride at the WT20 event.
“Momentum’s support behind our team is priceless as they made it possible for us to achieve our aim to have a fully professional national women’s squad”
Momentum Proteas World T20 squad:
Mignon du Preez (captain, Northerns), Trisha Chetty (Gauteng), Odine Kirsten (Northerns), Moseline Daniels (Boland), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Dane van Niekerk (Eastern Province), Dinesha Devnarain (KZN Coastal), Chloe Tryon (KZN Coastal), Sune Luus (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Masabatha Klaas (Free State), Ayabonga Khaka (Border), Matshipi Marcia Letsoalo (Northerns), Lizelle Lee (North West), Yolani Fourie (Gauteng).
South Africa’s ICC World T20 Group A Fixtures
18 Mar – Australia vs South Africa (19h30 local time), Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur
23 Mar – South Africa vs Ireland (19h30), Chidambaram, Chennai
26 Mar – South Africa vs New Zealand (19h30), Chinaswamy, Bengaluru
28 Mar – South Africa vs Sri Lanka (15h30), Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru
