As women’s cricket continues to grow in stature globally, South Africa has seen a new generation of women cricketers rising to prominence, shaping the team’s identity with skill, resilience, and leadership. Every season has been particularly significant, not only for the national team’s performances across formats but also for how four standout players have led the charge – Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Nonkululeko Mlaba, and Annerie Dercksen.

These four stars have been deservedly nominated for the prestigious Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s Player of the Year 2025, each representing a different aspect of South Africa’s cricketing evolution: bold leadership, world-class all-round prowess, spin excellence, and emerging talent.
Laura Wolvaardt: Courageous Captain
Laura Wolvaardt stands at the forefront of South Africa’s cricketing evolution, a technically gifted opener who has grown into a composed, fearless leader. Renowned for her silken strokeplay and unflappable demeanor, Wolvaardt not only anchors innings with authority but leads with vision and grace. She etched her name in cricketing folklore by becoming only the third woman in history, alongside Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont to score centuries in all three formats. Her Test century (122) against India in the tough away conditions of Chennai showcased both grit and class, building on her previous ODI and T20I tons.
Across formats, her numbers speak volumes: 255 runs in Tests, a commanding 4519 runs in WODIs with a career-best 184* not out, and 2088 runs in WT20Is, including a top score of 102. Beyond numbers, her leadership through a packed international calendar including the T20 World Cup and home series vs Sri Lanka, reflected maturity beyond her years. In the 2024-25 season, she amassed 270 runs in 8 T20Is, added 155 runs in 3 ODIs and 69 runs in her only Test. Passionate about the red-ball format, she has also vocally advocated for more women’s Tests, urging cricketing boards to embrace the format’s value.
Marizanne Kapp: The Relentless All-Rounder
Marizanne Kapp remains the spearhead of South African cricket, a tireless all-rounder who delivers match-winning performances year after year, across continents and formats. With her steely determination and ability to change the course of a game with either bat or ball, Kapp has built a legacy few can rival.
Her Test resume features 395 runs and impactful spells, while her ODI stats underline her all-round brilliance: 3182 runs with the bat and 167 wickets, including a best of 5/45. In T20Is, she has tallied 1625 runs and taken 92 wickets, with best figures of 4/6, a testament to her value in the shortest format. In the 2024-25 season, she scored 90 runs and scalped 7 wickets in 3 ODIs, added 60 runs and bagged 5 wickets in 6 T20Is, and in her only Test outing scored 78 runs, while also taking a wicket.
Nonkululeko Mlaba: Bowling Spearhead
The rise of South Africa’s spin attack has a quiet architect, Nonkululeko Mlaba, the left-arm orthodox spinner whose precision, patience, and persistence have made her a cornerstone in white-ball cricket. Since her debut, Mlaba has evolved into a key weapon across formats, thriving under pressure and often bowling the most challenging overs, whether it’s during the powerplay or at the death. In the 2024-25 season, she showed her class in the One-Off Test against England, producing a historic 10-fer, and has 13 wickets overall in the format.
Her ODI record includes 36 wickets, with a best of 4/33, while in T20Is she has bagged 53 wickets, her best being a tidy 4/29. While in 3 ODIs she managed only 2 wickets, in the 2024-25 season, she scalped 12 in only 8 T20Is and was sensational in South Africa’s World Cup success. With her calm demeanor and sharp skills, Mlaba is the quiet warrior steering South Africa’s bowling future towards greatness.
Annerie Dercksen: The Rising All-Rounder
Annerie Dercksen is one of South Africa’s most exciting emerging talents, a fearless all-rounder who brings energy and versatility to every outing. From her debut in January 2023 at Buffalo Park against West Indies during the Tri-Nation Series, she has steadily grown in stature. She went on to represent South Africa in the 2023 and 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cups and played a vital part in the multi-format series against England later in 2024. Recognized for her promising rise, she won the ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year in 2024, a testament to her growing impact.
Her standout moment came, when she blazed her maiden ODI century, 104 off just 84 balls, against Sri Lanka in Colombo. That innings, laced with 9 fours and 5 sixes, signaled her arrival on the big stage. Statistically, she has 399 runs and 10 wickets in WODIs (best of 3/16 vs England), while in WT20Is, she has accumulated 196 runs and picked up key wickets including a best of 2/15. The 2024-25 season saw her strike 2 ODI wickets, 5 in T20Is, while with the bat, scored 69 runs in ODIs, 100 runs in 6 T20Is and 50 runs in her only Test. With her all-round flair and fearless attitude, Annerie Dercksen is fast becoming the future face of South African cricket.
From the graceful centuries of Laura Wolvaardt to the steel of Marizanne Kapp, the spin control of Nonkululeko Mlaba, and the youthful energy of Annerie Dercksen, these four players represent a golden blend of experience and future promise for South African cricket.