Proteas trio return from The Hundred as Women’s World Cup squad looms

Although their places have not yet been officially confirmed, it would be no surprise if Chloé Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp are included when South Africa’s squad for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is announced on Wednesday.

The three decorated and influential Proteas are on their way back from the UK after playing in The Hundred.

Tryon and Wolvaardt were, unfortunately, part of the Southern Brave team that lost the final by seven wickets against the Northern Superchargers. The Brave had played an almost perfect tournament up until that point. Kapp’s Oval Invincibles, meanwhile, finished the league in sixth position.

Before leaving for the UK, Tryon told Independent Media that she was looking forward to the league, as it offered her a new challenge and a way to stay on top of her cricket and fitness. All three went into The Hundred after a quick turnaround from the West Indies tour in Barbados.

Now, as they arrive back in South Africa, the thought of receiving that World Cup call-up will be firmly on their minds.

“The players are still making their way back to South Africa and are flying (Tuesday),” the Proteas Women media department said on Tuesday. The 15-player World Cup squad will be announced at Cricket South Africa headquarters in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Last week, the rest of the team were busy preparing for the World Cup in the sweltering Durban heat, and also played a few friendly matches amongst themselves at Kingsmead and the Chatsworth Stadium.

Coach Mandla Mashimbyi looked happy with what he saw in the nets at Kingsmead, at one point telling fellow staff member Baakier Abrahams: “I like what I see here. Everyone looks like they have purpose.”

Durban was also crucial for the conditioning the team needed before the gauntlet that lies ahead of them on the subcontinent. The world cup squad will depart for Pakistan first, where they play a three-match ODI series starting on September 16, before travelling to Sri Lanka for final warm-up matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan.

“This camp in Durban will be crucial in helping us finalise a few key areas of our preparation, making sure we tick every box before we board the plane as a united force," said Mashimbyi at the time.

"The series in Pakistan will also serve as an important measure of where we are as a team ahead of the tournament, and we’re looking forward to putting our best foot forward in those three ODIs.

“In terms of the players involved in the camp, we’ve worked hard to ensure we have the right balance and skill set needed for a successful World Cup. We’ve also brought in the likes of Luyanda (Nzuza) and Dané (van Niekerk) to take a closer look at what they can contribute to the group in the near future.”

The Proteas Women start their world cup campaign against England on October 3. They will then play matches against New Zealand, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia in the group stage.