In-form Dané van Niekerk recalled as Proteas Women prioritise performance for Ireland series

Form, not sentiment, was the driving force behind the decision to welcome former national captain Dané van Niekerk back into the fold for the upcoming Proteas Women’s home white-ball series against Ireland, head coach Mandla Mashimbyi revealed.

On Thursday morning, Cricket South Africa announced the squad for the series, which will be played in Cape Town, Paarl, Benoni, East London, Gqeberha and Johannesburg between 5 and 19 December.

Van Niekerk has been selected for the national squad for the first time since September 2021, following the reversal of her international retirement, with the 32-year-old included in both formats after impressing for Western Province.

“With regard to Dané, I think she’s been quite consistent in the last two seasons. Last season she scored runs and she started well this season as well. So I think it would be a no-brainer to pick a player who is in such good form,” said Mashimbyi.

“Obviously, she has been captain and has done well for the team before, but I think she has earned her call-up based on the performances she’s put in over the last two seasons.”

Western Province all-rounder and captain Leah Jones has earned her maiden international call-up for the ODI series. Mashimbyi said her inclusion was a reward for strong all-round contributions at franchise level and part of long-term planning for the next ODI World Cup in 2029.

“We are going to try by all means to make sure that we reward good performances domestically and give players an opportunity to play for the Proteas. What that does is it creates healthy competition within the structures,” said Mashimbyi, who led the Proteas Women to the final of this year’s ODI World Cup in India, where they lost to the hosts.

“The players that are currently part of my Proteas team, it doesn’t give them any right to think that they will play forever. If they are not performing they must know there are other people who can come and take their place. And that’s initially the whole thing in terms of creating this environment that is going to be looking for players who are going to win matches for the Proteas.”

With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 less than eight months away, the Proteas’ preparation and selection processes remain firmly focused on achieving success at next year’s global event in England.

Asked what Van Niekerk needed to do to be in contention for the showpiece, Mashimbyi said: “She must just be herself. We all know how talented she is, her knowledge of the game. She just needs to perform. I just want her to focus on winning games for this team. That’s all she needs to do.

"She’s got a legacy behind her in terms of what she has achieved in international cricket and now she’s got a second chance to come back and showcase what she can do, and she just needs to focus on that. If she is performing well, it means we are also performing well as a team. I don’t want to create any added expectations around her.”

The former skipper had retired from international cricket after being left out of the 2023 World Cup on home soil for failing to meet fitness standards that have since been relaxed. Asked whether she had overcome those earlier concerns to be considered for selection again, Mashimbyi said the fitness issue had been overblown.

“I’ve got only three things that I require from a player: you have to look like a cricketer, move like a cricketer and think like a cricketer. That makes you a proper athlete,” he said. “If you are able to do that, then I’m happy – and what I’ve seen over the last few months, she’s able to do that.”

The three-time World Cup finalists will kick off their home international summer with the three-match T20 series. The first T20 will take place on 5 December at Newlands, marking the Proteas Women’s return to the venue for the first time since their T20 World Cup final in February 2023. The series will then continue at Boland Park on 7 December and Willowmoore Park on 10 December.