Former captain Dane van Niekerk described herself as “broken” on Tuesday after being left out of South Africa’s squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup in her house nation.
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The 29-year-old was missed for the event, which begins in Cape Town on 10 February, as a result of she failed to fulfill minimal health requirements, in keeping with chief selector Clinton du Preez.
“Dane was given an extensive opportunity to meet the minimum criteria or the fitness benchmark,” he stated.
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One of the health assessments requires ladies cricketers to run two kilometres in 9 minutes and 30 seconds.
That equates to every kilometre lined in 4 minutes and 45 seconds.
ESPN Cricinfo reported that Van Niekerk missed the goal by 18 seconds.
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“It’s purely based on the not meeting of the fitness criteria that she’s missed out,” stated Du Preez.
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Van Niekerk, who was named one among Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year final 12 months, has lengthy been considered one among South Africa’s main gamers as a top-order batter, leg-break bowler and revered captain.
Dane van Niekerk has not performed for SA since November 2021
She broke an ankle in an accident at house in November 2021 and has not performed worldwide cricket since then, though she did function in The Hundred in England final 12 months.
Van Niekerk posted an Instagram picture quickly after the staff was introduced with the caption, “Absolutely BROKEN.”
Leading all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, who’s married to Van Niekerk and was chosen for the World Cup, retweeted her spouse’s publish with the caption, “One of the best captains in world cricket.”
She continued in Afrikaans, “You will be missed.”
Kapp added a coronary heart emoji and one other denoting a damaged coronary heart.
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Van Niekerk missed choice for a triangular event involving India and West Indies earlier this month but it surely had been broadly anticipated she would return for the World Cup.
While the tri-series was being performed, Van Niekerk posted an image of herself batting within the nets in East London, saying it had been “a tough few weeks” and thanking the individuals who have been serving to her regain health.
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Reaction on social media was overwhelmingly in help of Van Niekerk.
Proteas quick bowling legend Dale Steyn commented, “Oh fuck, I missed my 2km time by seconds, must mean I’m shit”.
Sune Luus will captain the South African staff on the World Cup.
PROTEAS WOMEN SQUAD FOR T20 WORLD CUP:
Suné Luus (Titans – captain), Chloé Tryon (Dolphins – vice-captain), Anneke Bosch (North West Dragons), Tazmin Brits (Garden Route Badgers), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Garden Route Badgers), Lara Goodall (Western Province), Shabnim Ismail (Dolphins), Sinalo Jafta (Western Province), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Ayabonga Khaka (Lions), Masabata Klaas (North West Dragons), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Dolphins), Delmi Tucker (Western Province), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province)
Non-traveling reserves: Micaéla Andrews (Garden Route Badgers), Tebogo Macheke (Titans), Tumi Sekhukhune (Lions)
By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
