Van Niekerk and Kapp named in women's world ODI team of the year

DUBAI – South Africa's Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk were named in the ICC women's ODI team of the year which was announced in Dubai on Monday.

New Zealand’s Suzie Bates will captain of the 50-over side and Harmanpreet Kaur of India was appointed skipper of the T20I side which has no South African representation.

The two sides have been selected by the same voting academy, which comprised members of the media and broadcasters who also voted for the annual women’s individual awards to be announced later on Monday, and took into consideration player performances in the 2018 calendar year.

Bates’s appointment as the ODI captain is a recognition of her contribution in inspiring her side to second position in the ICC Women’s Championship after three rounds.

In the seven ODIs this calendar year, Bates has scored 438 runs with two centuries and a half-century. Bates is presently ranked seventh in the ICC Women’s Players Rankings for ODI Batters.

The 11-member women’s ODI side comprises players from seven countries, including two each from England (Tammy Beaumont and Sophie Ecclestone), India (Smriti Mandhana and Poonam Yadav), New Zealand (Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine) and South Africa (Van Niekerk and Kapp), and one player each from Australia (Alyssa Healy), Pakistan (Sana Mir) and Deandra Dottin (the Windies).

The voting academy consisted of Melinda Farrell, Melanie Jones, Lisa Sthalekar (all Australia), Charlotte Edwards, Kalika Mehta (both England), Anjum Chopra, Snehal Pradhan (both India), Lesley Murdoch (New Zealand), Urooj Mumtaz (Pakistan), Natalie Germanos (South Africa), Alan Wilkins (Wales) Ian Bishop (West Indies).