Proteas women eagerly await Van Niekerk's return: 'She's a world-class leader'

The Proteas women are excited about the return of regular captain Dane van Niekerk ahead of a blockbuster season.

South Africa will host a T20 tri-series with India and West Indies in January at Buffalo Park from 19 January to 2 February.

The three teams will play two T20Is against each other before the tri-series final and all will use as preparation for next month's Women's T20 World Cup. 

The tri-series will be Van Niekerk's first appearance for the Proteas since last year September, after she sustained a left ankle fracture in January.

It ruled her out for the majority of the year as she missed out on the Proteas' Cricket World Cup campaign in New Zealand, their all-format tour to England and the Commonwealth Games.

Van Niekerk returned to competitive action last year in August in the Hundred and then took part in December's CSA Women's Super League for the Starlights.

READ | Excitement builds as Proteas set to host 'special' T20 World Cup

Van Niekerk went on score an unbeaten 50 off 47 balls along with capturing two for 13 against the SA Women's Under-19 team at Newlands in December.

Speaking to News24 at the T20 Women's World Cup Trophy Tour in Canal Walk, Proteas all-rounder Nadine de Klerk welcomed the much-needed return of Van Niekerk.

"At the end of the day, you want to put your best eleven on the field and whoever that is at that given time," De Klerk told News24.

"She's obviously a world-class leader, and she's played a lot of cricket around the world, so I just think obviously in big tournaments like this, you need the experience, and you need the players, who've done it a million times before and she's obviously one of them."

The T20 Women's World Cup will be held for the first time on African soil from 10-26 February