Van Niekerk, who announced her retirement from international cricket last year, confirmed her decision to reverse that call through a heartfelt statement on social media.
South Africa stalwart and former captain Dané van Niekerk has been named in a 20-member squad for a home training camp as the Proteas begin preparations for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
Van Niekerk, who announced her retirement from international cricket last year, confirmed her decision to reverse that call through a heartfelt statement on social media.
“I’m thrilled to announce that I have decided to revoke my retirement from international cricket,” she wrote.
“The time away has reminded me just how much I’ve missed representing my country, and I’m fully committed to giving everything to once again have that opportunity.”
The training camp will begin on August 25 in Durban and run through September.
Following its conclusion, South Africa will travel to Pakistan for a three-match ODI series starting September 16, their final assignment before the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Notably absent from the camp squad are captain Laura Wolvaardt and experienced all-rounders Chloé Tryon and Marizanne Kapp, who are currently competing in The Hundred.
Meanwhile, uncapped all-rounder Luyanda Nzuza, who represented South Africa in the U19 Women’s World Cup earlier this year, has earned her first senior call-up.
Head coach Mandla Mashimbyi expressed excitement about the upcoming camp and emphasised its importance in fine-tuning preparations for the global tournament.
“It’s a very exciting time to be part of this group as we build towards the World Cup. The players have put in a huge amount of work over the past few months to be ready for that first ball against England in India,” Mashimbyi said.
“This camp in Durban will be crucial in helping us finalise key areas of our preparation, making sure we tick every box before we board the plane as a united force. Pakistan will also serve as an important measure of where we are as a team ahead of the tournament.”
“In terms of the squad, we’ve worked hard to ensure the right balance and skillset needed for a successful World Cup. We’ve also brought in the likes of Luyanda and Dané to take a closer look at what they can contribute to the group in the near future.”
The final squads for both the Pakistan series and the World Cup will be announced in early September.
Proteas squad for national camp: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Luyanda Nzuza, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Miané Smit, Faye Tunnicliffe, Dané van Niekerk.