The former Namibia skipper, born in George, is one of six uncapped players included in a training camp running from September 27 to 30 ahead of home Tests against India and Australia.
Former Namibia captain Yasmeen Khan has been included in South Africa's 28-player women's red-ball training camp, which runs from September 27 to 30. Khan, who was born in George, a coastal town between Cape Town and Gqeberha, has made herself available for the country of her birth and is eligible to represent South Africa.
Khan played 117 T20Is for Namibia and captained the side 27 times. She plays domestic cricket for the Dolphins, based in Durban, and recently featured for the South African women's emerging team in a series against Bangladesh. She is one of six players uncapped by South Africa who have been called into the expanded group.
The other five uncapped players are allrounders Alexandra Candler and Nicolien Janse van Rensburg, batter Izel Cilliers, and wicket-keepers Simone Lourens and Tebogo Macheke. They join established names including captain Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk and Nonkululeko Mlaba in the 28-player group.
"Preparing for and playing red-ball cricket is something that excites us as players and coaches. We are a team that is always eager to learn and grow as cricketers, and the longer format of the game goes a long way towards helping us achieve that continuous development. We've purposefully cast the net wide with the players we have invited to the camp, with the aim of building a solid base of cricketers we can look to when it comes to the skills and mentality required to be successful in red-ball cricket and beyond," Mandla Mashimbyi, South Africa's coach said as quoted by Cricinfo.
Why has South Africa assembled such a large red-ball group?
South Africa are preparing for two home Tests this season. They face India in Gqeberha from December 9 to 12 and are scheduled to play Australia in Potchefstroom between April 11 and 14 next year. Those fixtures will be South Africa's 17th and 18th Tests respectively. The Australia match may be moved by a few days to accommodate the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy in February, but is confirmed to go ahead.
South Africa plan to hold two red-ball intensives in September and October, with the second camp set to include a first-of-its-kind practice match. The expanded squad is intended to expose as many players as possible to the longer format. Currently, South African women's domestic teams do not play any red-ball cricket. Mashimbyi also highlighted the broader benefit of red-ball preparation for South Africa's white-ball ambitions.
"It also gives us an opportunity to enhance our technical and tactical blueprint, which is not only applicable to the longer format but will also help us prepare for the challenges ahead in one-day international and T20 International cricket," Mashimbyi said.
What is South Africa's red-ball record and who has been left out?
South Africa have not won a Test in five attempts, with their record dating back to 2007. Their most recent game was a defeat against England in Bloemfontein. Under the 2025-2029 FTP cycle, they are scheduled to play five more Tests in addition to this season's two, including away fixtures against Australia and England in 2028 and a home match against West Indies in 2029.
Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon, who were all at the WCPL, have not been named in this camp. Kapp and Tryon are set to appear in the Canada Super 60, which runs from September 29 to October 3. There is no clarity on Dane van Niekerk's international future, while Ayabonga Khaka is unavailable for Tests.
South Africa women's training squad for red-ball cricket
Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Alexandra Candler, Izel Cilliers, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Nicolien Janse van Rensburg, Leah Jones, Yasmeen Khan, Masabata Klaas, Simoné Lourens, Suné Luus, Tebogo Macheke, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Nthabiseng Nini, Luyanda Nzuza, Kayla Reyneke, Nondumiso Shangase, Tumi Sekhukhune, Miané Smit, Faye Tunnicliffe, Caitlin Wyngaard