Former South African all-rounder Dane van Niekerk recently spoke out about her exclusion from the national team for the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023. She reflected on the personal nature of her exclusion from South Africa’s squad for the tournament that concluded in February 2023.
Dane van Niekerk was a phenomenal player for South Africa throughout his career, which extended over 14 years and included 80 matches as captain. She has scored 2175 runs in 107 ODIs, in addition to 1877 runs in 86 T20Is. Her ability with the ball made her a formidable opponent, as she went on to take 138 wickets in ODI cricket and an additional 64 in T20Is.
Dane van Niekerk stated on the BBC’s No Balls podcast, in reference to her exclusion from the national team for the T20 World Cup, that she had not entered the fitness test without fulfilling the required standards.
“I have never stated that national team athletes should not be fit, but I did not enter that fitness test less fit. I was never obese.
In fact, everything was superior to before, “said Dane van Niekerk.
“I was previously selected because I was excellent at cricket, and I have no idea how that changed. I believed in my abilities as a cricketer, tactician, and captain, and I believed that should bear some weight, “Dane van Niekerk added.
She believed that her exclusion had a personal connection to her outspoken personality and the manner in which she held athletes and staff accountable while striving to deliver the best for South Africa.
“It had to be something internal—it’s intimate,” she added.
Dane van Niekerk release feels like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders.
Van Niekerk addressed a range of topics; despite her retirement from international cricket, she still has much to prove in domestic cricket. She recently signed a contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore for the WPL 2023 and is currently competing in the Fairbreak Invitational.
“This stage will conclude. It feels like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders; I feel like I’m under a microscope, with people saying I need to prove why they shouldn’t have left me out, but that’s not the point. I wish to rediscover my passion for cricket. Cricket gave me companions for life. It’s unfortunate that it ended this way, but cricket has given me so much for which I will be eternally grateful “She reached a conclusion.
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