Cricket
Exclusive: “I Will Play for as Long as Possible,” says Marizanne Kapp Ahead of T20 World Cup
Proteas all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has no retirement plans and is focused on contributing to the South Africa Women’s team. In an exclusive interview, Kapp shares her optimism ahead of the T20 World Cup and how she’s overcome recent back injuries.
Image Credits: Alex Davidson - ECB/ECB via Getty Images
Proteas women’s all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has no retirement plans in place despite the recent retirements of experienced teammates including Shabnim Ismail.
Proteas Women Transition Phase
Time and again, professional teams have to stomach an unavoidable phase of the retirement of its senior players, a phase that tends to lead to a period of regression or a transition phase.
It is almost impossible to know how long the regression period will last. Some teams take longer than others for a host of different reasons.
The Proteas women’s team had to endure a similar phase after reaching their first-ever World Cup final at home last year.
The side has had to watch generational talent of the likes of Shabnim Ismail call an end to their international careers, players who had been playing crucial roles in the team for well over a decade.
As a result, while fielding inexperienced teams post the 2023 T20 World Cup, South Africa failed win a single T20I series, at home or away.
That is six series in total, three away in Pakistan, Australia and India while three were at home against New Zealand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
In an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.com, Proteas all-rounder and one of the greats of Women’s cricket, Marizanne Kapp, emphasised that the recent retirements with the team could have partly played a role in their struggles last season.
"The players that retired left a massive hole in the team and it's going to take quite a while to try and fill their boots,” said Kapp.
“I mean, it wasn't your everyday players that retired. It was big names, people that played very important roles, so it will definitely take time for us to be at our best again.
There's definitely places up for grabs within the South African team and now we just have to give some of the youngsters a chance as well.
Marizanne Kapp
No Retirement Plans in Place
Despite being the most experienced active player in the South Africa Women’s team, Kapp has serious experience alongside her in fellow all-rounder Chloe Tryon, captain Laura Wolvaardt and top-order batter Sune Luus.
Besides this trio, the side is full of youth and inexperience.
As such, Kapp has no retirement plans in sight and reckons she still has a number of years left in her to give back to the Proteas Women’s team and Women’s cricket at large.
"I've actually been feeling really good. Yes, I know I'm 34 years old, but I feel like I'm playing my best cricket at the moment and I'm learning something new about myself every single game I'm stepping out on the park to play,” she said.
I'm enjoying my cricket and I've always been someone that looks after my body from a very young age. So, even though I'm 34 on paper, I feel like I've got a few more years in me. As long as I'm contributing and performing, I will play for as long as possible.
Marizanne Kapp
Back and Injury Issues
Injuries are probably the only thing that could tamper with Kapp’s plans for the future as it is often the case with players of her calibre.
Over the last three years, Kapp has had a few back complications, which is a regular occurrence in seam bowlers who have to bend their back for spells on end.
In Kapp’s case, being a top-order batter makes the situation even worse as she has to go out and bat for hours on end following a bowling shift or vice versa.
As a result, Kapp bowled only two overs during the India tour last month, a tour which saw the two sides play a once-off Test and three ODIs and three T20Is.
However, following the recently concluded The Hundred tournament in the United Kingdom where Kapp bowled and batted for the Oval Invincibles, the 34-year-old seems to have healed and in line to bowl in the upcoming T20 World Cup for South Africa.
"For the past three years, I've really been struggling with my back. We've tried every single angle to try and get my back better. It looks like we've finally reached that,” said Kapp.
“After Hundred tournament, my back has been so much better and I definitely will be fine to take the new ball again at the T20 World Cup.”
“I enjoy my bowling and I feel like as an all-rounder you never feel complete if you don't both skills so I will definitely be bowling at the World Cup,” she added.
The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup has been moved from Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates due to the political unrests in Bangladesh and will get underway from 3 to 23 October.
Ten teams will play 23 matches, over 18 action-packed days, at two venues in the UAE, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, as the world’s best battle it out for the ultimate prize in T20 cricket.
Ongama Gcwabe is an experienced Sports Journalist based in South Africa. In his career, Ongama’s work has been published in the country’s biggest newspapers company, Independe Newspapers, and some of the leading news and sports websites including IOL Sport.