Dane van Niekerk, the Proteas Women’s cricketer, has announced that she will revoke her retirement from international cricket.
After stepping down from the game in 2023, Van Niekerk will return to action and aims to reinforce her position as a celebrated personality in the history of women’s cricket.
The Proteas women’s cricketer revoked her retirement right before Cricket South Africa announced their squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
Dane van Niekerk Revokes Retirement Before Women’s ICC CWC 2025
From emerging as a standout cricketer to leading the national side, Dane van Niekerk’s career was nothing less than a rollercoaster ride.
Her all-around brilliance and leadership qualities made van Niekerk one of CSA’s most celebrated female cricketers.
Her retirement in 2023 had stirred a controversy since she was emotionally charged up after being left out of key competitions.
Dane van Niekerk announced her decision to revoke her retirement on social media. The Proteas women’s cricketer highlighted that the time she spent away from the game made her reflect on how much she missed representing the country.
The 32-year-old also apologised to CSA and her cricketing family and remains hopeful of showcasing her capabilities once again.
“The time away has reminded me just how much I have missed representing my country, and I am fully committed to giving everything to once again have that opportunity.
“I sincerely apologise to Cricket South Africa and the cricket family for how I handled my retirement, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to hopefully one day express my skills again on the international stage,” Dane van Niekerk shared in a post on Instagram.
Why Did Dane van Niekerk Retire In The First Place?
Dane van Niekerk shockingly announced her decision to retire in 2023 after failing to secure a spot in South Africa’s squad for the Women’s ICC T20 World Cup.
She had failed to meet the CSA’s fitness standards after failing to accomplish the 2km time trial cut-off. Sune Luus had taken over as the skipper for the tournament.
Throughout her career until 2023, Dane van Niekerk appeared in 194 matches across all formats for the Proteas Women.
The former skipper picked up 4074 runs and scalped 204 wickets, showcasing all-around brilliance in the game.