Women's Cricket
Fitness over skills- Niekerk misses out on SA World Cup squad due to fitness issues
Former South Africa skipper Dane van Niekerk was left out of Women's T20 World Cup after failing to run 2 km in 2 kms in 9 minutes 30 seconds.
South African all-rounder and former captain Dane van Niekerk was left broken after she was left out of the South Africa squad after failing "to meet the minimum criteria for fitness".
Returning from an injury, Dane van Niekerk was failed to achieve the required timing for a two-kilometre run. The fitness standards require female cricketers to run 2 kms in 9 minutes 30 seconds.
Niekerk was just over by 18 seconds which resulted her being left out of the squad for upcoming Women's T20 World Cup.
Dane van Niekerk who is captain in all the formats for South Africa since 2016 is recovering from a broken ankle after playing her last international cricket game in September 2021.
The all-rounder was dropped from Van Niekerk was dropped from the squad for the recent tri-series against West Indies and India, but she was given another opportunity to prove her fitness before the World Cup.
Dane van Niekerk is the only South African cricketer to have scored more than 1,500 runs and taken more than 50 wickets in women's T20 internationals.
"Dane was given an extensive opportunity to meet the minimum criteria for the fitness benchmark," said selector Clinton du Preez told BBC Sports. "Many other players have gone down this route, everyone is quite familiar with the situation and what is required. In December, we set it out clearly with where she needs to be."
South Africa missed their skipper badly in the series against England where the inexperienced team lost the series quite comprehensively.
This is not the first time such an instance has emerged in South African women's team.
Opener Lizelle Lee announced her retirement from international cricket in the middle of that series against England, citing a failed weight test as a "major factor" in her choice.
With Sune Luus captaining the side in World Cup, the question remains is preferring fitness over skills and experience a good move in such a big tournament?
Lizzelle Lee who recently retired in the middle of
