Nonkululeko Mlaba believes T20 cricket brings the best out of her.
The Proteas spinner has played in seven women’s T20Is this year – against Ireland, England and in the historic Commonwealth Games campaign – taking nine wickets at an average of 16.33, including a career-best 3-22 against the English in Derbyshire.
Affectionately known as ‘Leftie’, Mlaba is currently eighth in the ICC women’s T20I rankings.
“I am very happy about being in the top 10,” says the KwaMashu-born 22-year-old. “It’s not the first time – I was there after the T20 World Cup [in 2020] – but being able to get back into the top 10 shows how hard I have worked. I want to continue going and hopefully even make the No 1 spot.
“T20 is my favourite format,” she adds. “I enjoy it, and I love the competition and the challenging of each other. Whenever I play, I make sure that it’s like a challenge, so I enjoy it.
“When I play T20 cricket, it reminds me of club cricket. In club cricket, we used to play T20s most of the time, so I used that momentum and carried it into my career where I always want to challenge myself and everyone, even in the nets with the batters.”
Mlaba received the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket accolade at the recent CSA Awards, which serves to demonstrate the life-changing ability that cricket has in lives and communities.
Her rapid rise, from only beginning to play cricket at the age of 14 after seeing her brother and sister take up the sport to becoming among the very best spinners in the women’s game in the span of six years, is the perfect illustration of how the game has impacted her life.
At the end of the 2021-22 season, Mlaba was handed a national contract.
“At the end of the day, all that I have is through cricket,” she says. “Cricket has allowed me to help fix up my family home, we are now living in a better and warmer home and that was through cricket. Even my place near the stadium, I have it through cricket.
“This contract has motivated me to continue working harder and know that all that I have been doing is why I will not stop now. It also shows that this is just the beginning, and it doesn’t end here.
“This gives me the confidence that I can continue working and end up playing overseas in other international tournaments.”
Mlaba and the team’s next big assignment is next year’s T20 World Cup, to be held in Cape Town, Gqeberha and Paarl.
“I want to be the leading wicket-taker and, most importantly, help the team win,” she says.
