An unfortunate slip for Dane Van Niekerk at her own home has ruined her chance to captain South Africa at the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The Pretoria native slipped on a wet floor and has been ruled out for 12 weeks due to a broken ankle.
“The injury is a result of an accidental slip on a wet surface at home,” said Team Doctor Tshgofafatso Gaetsewe in a press release from Cricket South Africa.
South Africa are set to play New Zealand in their first game of the competition on March 4, but the all-rounder is expected to be unavailable until April 7.
The Momentum Proteas have never won the competition, but have reached two semi-finals, in 2000 and 2017.
28-year-old Van Niekerk captained the side to the semi-final in the 2017 World Cup, before being knocked out by England.
Van Niekerk’s absence will be a hit to their side’s hopes in this year’s tournament, and the team will hope to galvanize from the unfortunate news.
The 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup will be held in New Zealand between March and April 2022.
