South Africa Announces 16-Year-Old Wicketkeeper-Batter for Sri Lanka T20Is
South Africa’s cricket team has called up 16-year-old Karabo Meso for her first international appearance in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, starting 27 March.
Meso made her mark in the inaugural U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 held in South Africa, where she stood out with eight dismissals in five matches, the highest in the tournament. Her exceptional wicket-keeping skills earned her a place in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023’s Team of the Tournament.
Related: U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament Announced
Meso was later chosen for Team South Africa in the first-ever Women’s T20 competition at the 13th African Games in Ghana, where South Africa clinched the silver medal.
The squad for the Sri Lanka T20Is also sees the return of all-rounder duo Annerie Dercksen and seamer Tumi Sekhukhune, replacing injured fast bowler Ayanda Hlubi, Mieke de Ridder, and Delmi Tucker.
With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 scheduled for September-October, this series will be a vital part of the preparation for both teams. Proteas Women’s Head Coach, Hilton Moreeng, is eager to see how Meso performs on the international stage as the team seeks to strengthen their core structure.
“We still have the core of the squad to ensure we can continue with our T20I strategy. The build-up has been progressing well, and now it’s time to give deserving players opportunities for those one or two spots we want to examine,” Moreeng said.
All-rounder Marizanne Kapp continues to be the biggest threat in the South Africa strike force as they make a late charge on home soil toward the semi-finals at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.
“We have a few youngsters coming in and one debutant in Karabo Meso who has been part of the High-Performance group and in the U19 World Cup. She’s a youngster with a lot of potential, and we’re excited to see how she performs when given the opportunity,” Moreeng added.
South Africa will host Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I series followed by as many ODIs, which will form a part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-2025 cycle. The squad for the ODI leg will be announced in due course.
South Africa T20I squad:
Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon