Shabnim Ismail reverses retirement for T20 World Cup

Nearly three years after retiring from international cricket, veteran fast bowler Shabnim Ismail has been included in South Africa's 15-member squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 in England and Wales. The 37-year-old returns to the team with a record 123 wickets and 113 T20I caps. After injury layoffs, Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk have returned to South Africa, led by Laura Wolvaardt. Wicketkeeper Karabo Meso has recovered from a wrist injury that kept her out of the recent India series. After a successful international season in which she averaged 53 with the bat and took five wickets in her first nine T20Is, Kayla Reyneke received her first senior World Cup call-up. "I think the players have really put in the work over the last few months, and I think we're excited for the big show that is coming up. "There are still final touches we need to make before the World Cup starts," said head coach Mandla Mashimbyi. "The 4-1 series win against India gave us a lot of confidence. "The group gains a great deal of value when someone like Shabnim returns. We had good conversations and you could see the hunger she still has to represent South Africa and help this team achieve something special. We are also pleased to have players like Karabo, Dane, and Marizanne back on the roster. "We are no different from any other team that goes to a World Cup with the intention of winning it; however, for us, it's about staying in love with the process, taking each game one at a time, and continuing to improve as the tournament progresses." "The selection process for this T20 World Cup squad involved a lot of careful consideration around continuity, squad balance, and the demands that come with a major global tournament," Clinton du Preez, the Convenor of Selectors, added. "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. We also looked at areas where we believed the team could benefit from more experience and impactful options, particularly in the high-pressure situations that frequently decide tournaments of this kind. "These decisions are never simple, especially when good players are left out. However, every discussion and decision was made with the team's best interests and the goal of winning the World Cup in mind. We think this team has the right amount of experience, toughness, and ability to win matches. Most importantly, it gives us the best chance to put all the pieces together and really challenge for the title." On June 13, South Africa, who have won the last three ICC tournaments, plays Australia in their opening match in Manchester. They are included in the same group as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Australia, and the Netherlands. They will leave for the UK on May 25 and hold a preparatory camp in Arundel, where they are scheduled to play Australia in three training games between May 31 and June 4 ahead of the official World Cup warm-up matches. Squad: Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Kayla Reyneke, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, Dane van Niekerk