Shabnim Ismail playing for the Lions in the Pro50 final against Western Province at Kingsmead on 15 March 2026.

• Fast bowler Shabnim Ismail has come out of retirement to play for the Proteas Women in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
• Laura Wolvaardt will captain the squad, which also includes fit-again Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk.
• The Proteas will contest Group 1 alongside Australia, Pakistan, India, Netherlands and Bangladesh.
• For more cricket news, visit our dedicated section.

The Proteas Women on Tuesday confirmed a 15-player squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup set to take place in England and Wales from 12 June-5 July.

The notable inclusion is that of fast bowler Shabnim Ismail, who has made a retirement U-turn. The 37-year-old last represented South Africa in the T20 World Cup final in Cape Town in February 2023.

READ | Proteas Women delay World Cup squad announcement over ‘minor’ internal review

Ismail retired from international cricket but still continued to play in T20 leagues across the globe. She brings a wealth of experience, adding 113 T20I caps and a national record of 123 wickets to the group.

Laura Wolvaardt will captain the squad, which also includes Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk. They are back after recovering from illness and a calf injury, respectively.

Wicketkeeper-batter Karabo Meso also returns from a wrist injury that ruled her out of the recent T20I series against India. She will link up with Sinalo Jafta in the wicketkeeping department, while Kayla Reyneke will play her first senior World Cup after enjoying a breakout international season.

The remainder of the squad comprises Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune and Nonkululeko Mlaba.

“Having someone like Shabnim back adds a lot of value to the group. We had good conversations and you could see the hunger she still has to represent South Africa and help this team achieve something special,” said head coach Mandla Mashimbyi.

“We’re also pleased to have players like Marizanne, Dane and Karabo available again. Every team goes to a World Cup wanting to win it, and we are no different, but for us it’s about staying in love with the process, taking it one game at a time and continuing to improve as the tournament advances.”

The SA Women will depart for England on 25 May for a camp in Arundel where they will tackle Australia in three training matches from 31 May-4 June, before setting their sights on official World Cup warm-up games.

At the World Cup, the Proteas will contest Group 1 alongside Australia, Pakistan, India, Netherlands and Bangladesh.

Proteas Women Convenor of Selectors, Clinton du Preez, said the selection process involved a lot of careful consideration around continuity, squad balance and the demands that come with a major global tournament.

“Keeping the core of the group together was important to us because this is a squad that has built strong experience, combinations and understanding over time. At the same time, we also looked at areas where we felt additional experience and impactful options could strengthen the team, especially in the high-pressure moments that often decide tournaments of this nature.

“These decisions are never easy, particularly when quality players miss out, but every discussion and selection was made with the best interests of the team and the goal of winning the World Cup in mind.

“We believe this squad has the right mix of experience, resilience and match-winning ability, and importantly, gives us the best possible opportunity to put all the pieces together and strongly challenge for the title,” said Du Preez.