South Africa have named Laura Wolvaardt, one of the best batters in the world, as their new interim captain for the upcoming tours of Pakistan and New Zealand, a week after Sune Luus stepped down. Wolvaardt, who has led the Proteas twice before in the ODIs in 2021 led her side to wins in both games she led the side against India. Cricket South Africa (CSA) had announced the squad for the Pakistan series without naming a captain last week as Luus stepped down less than six months after becoming the interim captain.
Luus had herself confirmed before the T20 World Cup that she is the permanent captain but now has stepped aside to focus on her game, as confirmed by ESPNCricinfo. Wolvaardt, who is World No. 4 in ODIs and World No. 7 batter in T20Is, said that becoming a captain of the country is a massive honor, which is something she has aspired to do.
“It’s a massive honour to be offered this position as captain for the next two tours. It’s something that I have always aspired to do, having played in this team for a couple of years. Having more of a leadership role is something I’ve wanted to take on. It’ll help me as a cricketer and learning to think as a captain on the field will hopefully help my batting as well,” Wolvaardt said in a CSA release.
CSA director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe on Wolvaardt’s appointment said, “Laura’s dedication, leadership acumen, and cricketing prowess have been evident throughout her career. Her ability to stay composed under pressure and her deep understanding of the game make her an ideal candidate to lead the team.”
As per the release, Wolvaardt will be captain of South Africa for a couple of months for the Pakistan tour (3 ODIs and 3 T20Is) and the New Zealand tour (3 ODIs and 5 T20Is) till October 15 and her performance will be evaluated after that.
South Africa women’s squad for Pakistan series: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Lara Goodall, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker