Karabo Meso, Seshnie Naidu, and Miane Smit Receive First South Africa ODI Call-Ups for Tri-Series

Synopsis

On April 14, it was announced that Karabo Meso, Seshnie Naidu, and Miane Smit have received their first ODI call-ups for South Africa's upcoming women's tri-series in Sri Lanka from April 27 to May 11. The event will see them compete against Sri Lanka and India.

Key Takeaways

Karabo Meso, Seshnie Naidu, and Miane Smit are debuting in South Africa’s ODI squad.
The tri-series runs from April 27 to May 11 in Sri Lanka.
Matches will be played at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
The squad aims to build depth ahead of the World Cup.
Marizanne Kapp is absent due to conditioning preparation.

New Delhi, April 14 (NationPress) Karabo Meso, Seshnie Naidu, and Miane Smit have received their first-ever call-ups to the South Africa ODI team for the upcoming women’s tri-series, which is set to take place from April 27 to May 11 in Sri Lanka.

The tri-series will occur at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, featuring South Africa competing against the hosts Sri Lanka and India in a round-robin format.

Karabo and Seshnie participated in this year’s ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup and have already made their mark in the senior T20I women’s team. Meanwhile, Miane served as a travelling reserve during last year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, where South Africa secured the runner-up position.

"We’ve adopted a calculated and strategic method in choosing this ODI squad, considering the conditions we will be contending with and the nature of our opponents. The choice to include four seamers and five to six spin options reflects our evaluation of the surfaces, where we believe a balanced attack will be essential for success.

“This ODI series is crucial to our preparations for the World Cup. It’s about developing depth, clarifying roles, and ensuring that every player understands their contribution towards our shared objectives,” stated Clinton du Preez, the convenor of selectors.

Nondumiso Shangase is also making her return to the ODI squad for the first time since last year's tour of India. The selection of this quartet has resulted in the exclusion of seamer Ayanda Hlubi, wicketkeeper Mieke de Ridder, and opening batter Lara Goodall.

As previously mentioned by Cricket South Africa (CSA), seasoned all-rounder Marizanne Kapp will not participate in the tri-series as she continues her conditioning program in preparation for the upcoming tours and the ODI World Cup in India.

“It's a strong squad. The combination of youth and experience is beneficial. This is a chance for these players to demonstrate their abilities. We hope that the skills we've honed during our camp can be utilized in Sri Lanka when we take to the field. For me, this is not just an opportunity for Karabo, Miané, and Seshnie.

“This is a chance for us to provide them with exposure at this level. As we look ahead, it’s vital that we give them as much exposure to international cricket as possible. This tour is an opportunity for us to gauge the team’s progress.

“It’s a work in progress. We aim to reach a point where we are prepared when we arrive in India in September. However, from a skill perspective, there is still some work to be done, and that is our current focus,” expressed head coach Mandla Mashimbyi.

South Africa's squad for the tri-series includes: Laura Wolvaardt (Captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Nondumiso Shangase, Miané Smit, and Chloé Tryon.