From Ikageng to the Proteas Women: Nini's hard work pays off

Sitting in a salon on an ordinary Tuesday morning, Nthabiseng Nini received a phone call that would mark the biggest and proudest moment of her cricketing career to date.

The Warriors seamer, who celebrates her 21st birthday today (9 September), did not recognise the number at first but on the other end of the line was Proteas Women Convenor of Selectors Clinton du Preez, calling to inform the former SA U19 Women star that she had earned her maiden international call-up for the historic five-match T20 International (T20I) series against Zimbabwe.

“I was at the salon. It was Tuesday morning at around nine. I got a call, and then he told me, ‘Congratulations, you’ve been selected’.

“I said to him, ‘Sir, are you sure?’. Because I felt like I was dreaming and then I started crying.

“It was really emotional that day for me. I told my grandmother, my mom and one of my close friends,” Nini recalled.

The call represented another significant step in a cricketing journey that began almost by chance in her hometown of Ikageng near Potchefstroom. Nini, who attended Hoër Tegniese Skool, was first introduced to the game by a friend before joining the Ikageng Hub.

Having previously been more familiar with school sports, which were played during certain terms of the school year, Nini admits she knew very little about the opportunities available in women’s cricket when she accompanied her friend to a training session in January 2017.

“I had a friend who lives close to my house in Ikageng and she played cricket at that time. I didn’t know there was ladies’ cricket. I accompanied her to practice and I was sitting on the side, just watching them.

“I said to myself, this is a good sport to go for, because normally at school you just play school sport that’s not even for the whole year. So I said, try cricket and then see how it goes.”

That decision would set Nini on a pathway through North West Cricket and into the national U19 Women’s programme but her journey was not without its challenges. At one stage, the right-arm seamer considered quitting the game altogether before the late Coach William Molewa intervened and encouraged her to return to practice.

“There was a point where I wanted to leave cricket because it was difficult at that time. But then the coach came to my house; Coach William came to my house.

“He was like, ‘Sisi, what’s wrong with you? You can’t miss practice’ and this and that. So then I said to him, ‘OK, Coach, I’ll come back again tomorrow and start over’. And then that’s when I continued.”

Nini continued to rise through the ranks, representing South Africa at U19 level, including at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 and 2025, where she established herself as a promising specialist seamer and was named as the 12th player in the Team of the Tournament in Malaysia last year.

Interestingly, Zimbabwe has already played a notable role in her young career. During her time with the SA U19 Women, Nini recorded a five-wicket haul against Zimbabwe U19 Women, her best performance at the time.

Now, Nini is one of four uncapped players in the youthful Proteas Women squad in Bulawayo and will be hoping to earn her maiden international cap during the T20I series at Queen’s Sports Club.

For the young seamer, should that opportunity arrive, the focus will be on embracing the occasion and making the most of an opportunity she has worked towards for several years.

“It’s really going to mean a lot to me because I’ve literally been waiting for that day. So it’s just to go out there, give my best and use the opportunity well.

“And also, don’t be too hard on yourself. Because it’s the first time, there are going to be nerves. But I think enjoying that moment is the biggest thing for me,” Nini concluded.

Proteas Women’s T20I Squad against Zimbabwe

Laura Wolvaardt (captain, Fidelity Titans), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Annerie Dercksen (Garden Route Badgers), *Jae-Leigh Filander (Western Province Cobras), Ayanda Hlubi (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Karabo Meso (DP World Lions), Seshnie Naidu (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), *Nthabiseng Nini (Warriors), *Luyanda Nzuza (Fidelity Titans), Kayla Reyneke (Western Province Cobras), Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Miané Smit (Fidelity Titans), Faye Tunnicliffe (Western Province Cobras) and *Caitlin Wyngaard (Fidelity Titans)

*Uncapped

Fixtures - Proteas Women T20I Outbound Tour against Zimbabwe

Friday, 11 September - Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo (1.30pm)

Sunday, 13 September - Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo (1.30pm)

Tuesday, 15 September - Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo (1.30pm)

Thursday, 17 September - Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo (1.30pm)

Saturday, 19 September - Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo (1.30pm)