South Africa have named 18-year-old uncapped legspinner Seshnie Naidu and 20-year-old seamer Ayanda Hlubi in an otherwise experienced 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup in the UAE. Both players were part of the inaugural Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup held in South Africa last year.
The rest of the squad members, apart from wicketkeeper batter Mieke de Ridder, were part of the playing group that reached the final of the 2023 T20 World Cup. From those, Lara Goodall, Masabata Klaas and Delmi Tucker miss out, and Shabnim Ismail has since retired.
Dillon du Preez will continue to coach the side in an interim capacity, after taking over Hilton Moreeng in June. South Africa have yet to appoint a permanent head coach.
The squad will be captained by Laura Wolvaardt, and includes the experience of allrounder Marizanne Kapp, opener Tazmin Brits and seamer Ayabonga Khaka. Nadine de Klerk, who is currently recovering from an Achilles' injury, is expected to be fully fit for the tournament. Having last played against India in July, South Africa will play three matches in Pakistan en route to the UAE.
The inclusion of Naidu and Hlubi comes amid talk of a comeback by Ismail and former captain Dane van Niekerk, suggesting South Africa are looking forward. While Ismail retired after the 2023 T20 World Cup final, van Niekerk quit amid controversy after she failed to make the T20 World Cup squad over fitness concerns. Ismail continues to play in T20 leagues. Convener of selectors Clinton du Preez said there was "no conversation" around a comeback but van Niekerk has signed with Western Province for the upcoming season. She told ESPNcricinfo she has "no timeline" on a possible return to the national side, and du Preez reiterated that she would have to re-earn her place.
"The message is very clear," du Preez said. "She has opted to come back and play provincial cricket and she has got to try and knock down the door, do whatever she does best, and then we will consider and see how it goes forward."
Du Preez called the current status of the squad as being in "transition", and Naidu and Hlubi are among the first to benefit from that. Both play their cricket at the Durban-based Dolphins team, where Hlubi was among the top ten wicket-takers in 50-over cricket in Division One last summer. She also toured to Australia with the national team.
"She's got good attributes as a quick bowler," du Preez said. "We followed her in the provincial competition, and definitely look at her excitement as a bowler, and going into a World Cup as a player that is not known to quite a few countries. We are looking at what she can bring towards and complement her bowling attack."
Naidu's career is in its infancy but she has already played in a major continental tournament as well. She was part of the South African Emerging Women's squad that competed at the Africa Games in Ghana earlier this year and has been identified as a future star.
"Seshnie Naidu has shown significant growth as a bowler within our camps, and we see her as an X factor for the World Cup," du Preez said. "She brings a unique element to our bowling attack, offering something different that could be pivotal."
Nonkululeko Mlaba, another Dolphins player, who was once ranked second in the world in T20Is, will lead the spin attack. South Africa have several seam-bowling options, including Kapp, Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune and de Klerk. If there is a concern, it may be around batting depth with the squad overly reliant on Wolvaardt, Kapp and Brits especially as Sune Luus has struggled for form. Luus has not scored more than 19 in any of her six innings in T20Is this year and has been dismissed in single figures four times.
Luus' dip came after she led South Africa in their stunning run to last year's T20 World Cup final and as a team, their performances have followed suit. Since that tournament, South Africa have only won five out of 18 T20Is and have lost series to Pakistan, Australia and Sri Lanka.
At the upcoming World Cup, they will not play any of those teams in the group stage. They are in Group B and will open their campaign against West Indies in Dubai before playing England in Sharjah. They will then return to Dubai to play Scotland and Bangladesh.
Like all the other teams at the tournament, South Africa have never played a T20I in Dubai but Luus and Khaka have some experience of Sharjah. They were in the squad that played against Pakistan in a T20I series in 2015.
"The management group has consulted in depth in the past week around all the conditions and all the potential factors that could impact things," du Preez said. "It's going to be difficult to adapt. However, we feel that the squad that we have got will be able to complement us on the field of play."
South Africa squad for Women's T20 World Cup 2024
Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon
Travelling Reserve: Miane Smit