Karabo Meso, a wicketkeeper batter, has been selected for the Proteas Women squad, making it her first call-up at just 16 years and 179 days old.
Meso's journey to the South African senior team has been marked by determination and exceptional talent. She fell in love with the game at the age of seven through KFC Mini-Cricket and then went on to play for the Lions' age-group squads before being selected for the professional team, SA U19, and SA Emerging teams. Meso was a part of the 2023 U19 Women's T20 World Cup, held on home soil, and impressed with eight dismissals, garnering her a place in the Team of the Tournament.
After South Africa bowed out at the Super Six stage, she was selected for the Proteas squad. Recently, Meso helped Team South Africa take silver at the first-ever Women's T20 competition at the 13th African Games in Ghana, where she was responsible for the wicketkeeping duties.
The teenager received the news of her Proteas call-up a day before it was announced in the media and stated that it felt like a movie.
Meso is grateful for the U19 World Cup experience, which was a crucial period in her burgeoning career. She has had to balance her academic commitments with her cricketing aspirations, which has been a challenge, but she has tackled it with determination and support from those around her.
The Proteas Women will play Sri Lanka in the first T20I on Wednesday, 27 March, at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.