In a year where South Africa’s women took bold strides on the international cricketing stage, five players emerged as the torchbearers of the T20I revolution. Cricket South Africa’s 2025 Awards nominees for Women’s T20I Player of the Year: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt, and Nonkululeko Mlaba have redefined the boundaries of performance and poise in the shortest format.
With their fearless batting, match-winning spells, and consistent brilliance, these players have not only flown the South African flag with pride but have left their mark as icons in motion. Here’s a closer look at their achievements and why they’ve earned their place among the T20I elite.
Anneke Bosch
Anneke Bosch firmly etched her name in South African cricketing history during the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia. Under immense pressure on the global stage, Bosch produced a career-best unbeaten 74* off just 48 balls, a knock brimming with elegance, composure, and fearless intent. Her innings was instrumental in powering South Africa into their second consecutive T20 World Cup final, marking the highest individual score by a South African woman in a T20 World Cup knockout match.
Beyond that iconic moment, Bosch has consistently impressed in the shortest format. In her 40 T20I innings, she has scored 910 runs at a strike rate of 109, showcasing her ability to accelerate the innings when needed. With the ball, she adds further value as a reliable medium pacer, having picked up 8 wickets with best figures of 2/11. In the 2024-25 season, she scored 155 runs in 7 innings, at a strike rate of 112.31.
Tazmin Brits
Tazmin Brits, South Africa’s dynamic opening batter, continues to provide a perfect blend of power and consistency at the top of the order. Known for her fearless stroke play and ability to dominate the powerplay, Brits has amassed 1719 runs in just 65 T20I matches, making her one of South Africa’s most prolific run-scorers in the format. Her average of 32.43 and tally of 14 half-centuries reflect her reliability in building strong starts for the Proteas.
In the 2024-25 season, she amassed 202 runs from 8 T20I outings and registered the highest of 57*. Beyond the numbers, Brits’ aggressive intent and ability to play long innings have made her a vital cog in South Africa’s T20 engine.
Marizanne Kapp
Marizanne Kapp is the embodiment of experience, excellence, and endurance in world cricket. Since her debut at the 2009 Women’s World Cup, she has evolved into one of South Africa’s most decorated and dependable all-rounders. With 97 T20I innings under her belt, Kapp has scored 1625 runs with the best of 75 and has claimed 92 wickets with best figures of a remarkable 4/6 against England. Her consistency with both bat and ball makes her an irreplaceable asset in any T20 setup.
In the 2024-25 season, Kapp added 90 runs to the tally from 4 innings, and claimed 5 wickets, at her economical best of 4.63. Kapp’s versatility and composure under pressure continue to shape victories across formats and continents, securing her legacy as a global T20 icon.
Nonkululeko Mlaba
Nonkululeko Mlaba has rapidly emerged as one of the most lethal spin bowlers in women’s T20 cricket. Her standout campaign at the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup saw her claim 12 wickets, making her the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Her match-winning spell of 4/29 against West Indies was a masterclass in control, flight, and guile, dismantling their top order and showcasing her rise as South Africa’s go-to bowler in crunch moments. Notably, all her wickets in the 2024-25 season had come during the World Cup, going wicketless in two T20Is against England.
Mlaba’s success is rooted in her ability to bowl tight lines during the powerplay, and exploit turn and bounce in the middle overs. Currently ranked No. 8 in the ICC T20I Bowling Rankings, she continues to be a key weapon for the Proteas with her disciplined left-arm spin. With 53 International wickets already to her name in this format, Mlaba’s trajectory signals even greater things ahead, as she continues to bamboozle batters on the global stage.
Laura Wolvaardt
Laura Wolvaardt, long admired for her classical technique, has transformed into a formidable T20 powerhouse. In a defining performance against Sri Lanka, she blazed her way to her maiden T20I century, an explosive 102 off just 63 balls. Her innings, peppered with 12 boundaries and three towering sixes, propelled South Africa to their second-highest team total in T20Is and sealed a dominant 79-run win.
She continued her purple patch into the 2024-25 season, which saw her amass 270 runs from 8 outings, at an average of 38.57 and a strike rate of 113.92. With 2088 T20I runs to her name, Wolvaardt continues to grow as a T20 opener and captain, seamlessly balancing responsibility and aggression. Her leadership, alongside her run-scoring prowess, marks her as one of the finest players in the modern T20 era.
Together, these five women define greatness in T20I cricket, defined matches and inspired a nation. As the CSA Awards approach, South African fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide eagerly await to see which of these phenomenal athletes will claim the coveted crown of T20I Player of the Year 2025.
