Cricketer Dané van Niekerk prepares for 'comeback ball of all time'

After being out of the national team for four years, the former Proteas captain will be making a second debut for South Africa.

- By Keanan Hemmonsbey

Less than a month after the Proteas Women became the first South African side to reach the final of a major International Cricket Council tournament in 2023 — the T20 World Cup at home — their most recent long-term captain, Dané van Niekerk, announced her retirement.

She was only 29 at the time and should have been at the peak of her powers. Instead, she felt let down by the system after being left out of the T20 World Cup squad because she failed fitness tests.

Two-and-a-half years later, Van Niekerk will be back in green and gold after rescinding her retirement and being selected as part of head coach Mandla Mashimbyi's T20 and one-day international (ODI) cohort to take on Ireland.

"When Clinton [du Preez], the convenor of selectors, called me, he said I made both sides and I just cried," Van Niekerk told Daily Maverick.

"I was fortunate enough to be with my mom and [family] so I could tell them the news as well. It was just overwhelming.

"If you had asked me even six months ago if I thought that I'd be in the South African team, I would have laughed at you."

Van Niekerk had struggled with injuries throughout 2022 and when she finally recovered, she failed to complete the required fitness test: a 2km time trial in nine minutes and 30 seconds.

Those time trials and strict fitness parameters have gone out the window since Mashimbyi's appointment as coach. Instead, he has said he selects cricketers who are good at the sport.