South Africa’s World Cup plans have slipped into a brief holding pattern after Cricket South Africa (CSA) postponed Monday’s scheduled squad announcement only minutes before the live stream was due to start.
At 10.50am in Johannesburg the media were told the online reveal would be delayed “due to a need for further internal reviews”, with no fresh date offered. A CSA spokesperson later reminded reporters that final squads still have to be lodged with the ICC before the tournament support period opens in early June, after which only injury-related changes are permitted.
A source familiar with events insisted the decision rests on a “minor internal matter,” not a major dispute over selection. That phrase was repeated more than once during hurried phone calls on Monday morning, and it is doing plenty of heavy lifting for the moment.
Even so, two tricky selection talking points remain. First, Shabnim Ismail, the fast bowler who quit international cricket after the 2023 home World Cup, has formally told selectors she is available. Head coach Mandla Mashimbyi, according to the same source, is keen to include her despite the three-year gap because she has stayed sharp on the franchise circuit. If Ismail is picked she will bring pace to an attack that, lately, has leaned heavily on Marizanne Kapp.
Kapp herself has not played since February because of illness, missing series against New Zealand and India. Medical staff are confident she will be ready for the World Cup, though her match fitness may become a hot topic once the tournament starts.
The second talking point involves Dane van Niekerk. The former captain forced her way back into international cricket last year but injured a calf in New Zealand and has not bowled since. Selectors value her finishing ability with the bat, yet space in a 15-player squad is limited and there is competition from younger all-rounders.
South Africa, runners-up two years ago, open their campaign against Australia in Gros Islet on 13 June. The expectation is that CSA will confirm the squad well before the ICC deadline, but for now the governing body has asked for patience while it completes what it calls those final “internal reviews”.
Whether the extra time smooths over the “minor internal matter,” ensures Ismail’s comeback, or simply buys room to assess Kapp and Van Niekerk, supporters should have clarity soon.
