Cape Town - Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail have all been included in the Most Valuable Team of the ICC Women’s World Cup on Monday.
The Proteas trio were rewarded for their excellent performances in driving their team to the semi-finals at the recent eight-team jamboree in New Zealand. Australia were crowned champions on Sunday at the Hagley Oval after defeating England - South Africa's semi-final conquerors.
Wolvaardt, 22, finished as the fourth-highest run scorer in the competition with 433 runs, which included five half-centuries, at an average of 54.12. The stylish opener had led the scoring charts until the playoffs before Australia's Alyssa Healy (509 runs), Rachel Haynes (497) and England's Nat Sciver (436) surpassed her with incredible performances in the semis and final.
All three have also been included in the XI with Wolvaardt penciled in to open with Australian superstar and Player of the Tournament Healy.
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South Africa’s premier all-rounder Kapp was also selected on the basis of her two successive Player-of-the-Match performances against England and hosts New Zealand on her way to 12 wickets and 203 runs respectively.
Furthermore, the fiery Ismail enhanced her reputation as the fastest women's bowler in the world as she finished the tournament with the second-most wickets ( 14) behind England's World No 1 ODI bowler Sophie Ecclestone (21).
Ecclestone was South Africa's chief destroyer in the semi-final with a career-best 6/36.
West Indies' Hayley Matthews and Bangladesh's Salma Khatun were also included in the line-up alongside Australia's World Cup winners Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney. Lanning was installed as the captain of the XI.
Women's World Cup Most Valuable Team: Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Alyssa Healy (wk) (Australia), Meg Lanning (capt, Australia), Rachael Haynes (Australia), Nat Sciver (England), Beth Mooney (Australia), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Salma Khatun (Bangladesh)
12th player: Charlie Dean (England)