The Cricket South Africa (CSA) Awards are edging closer, and Proteas Women star spin bowler Nonkululeko Mlaba is targeting the Women’s Player of the Year top accolade.
The awards ceremony will be held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, on Thursday, where CSA will be recognising and rewarding several players for their outstanding performances this season.
Mlaba has been nominated in five categories, namely the Women’s T20I Player of the Year, Women’s ODI Player of the Year, Delivery of the Year (with two separate entries), and SA Fans’ Player of the Year award.
“I am looking forward to the awards, and hopefully I will get the Women’s Player of the Year because that award is more significant and includes all formats [Test, ODI, and T20].
“But if I don’t win, it will still be fine because being nominated alone is a big thing for me because everyone I have been nominated with is worthy of winning the award,” Mlaba said during an interview with Sunday World recently.
Mlaba has been pitted against Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, and Laura Wolvaardt in the women’s top award.
Overwhelmed with excitement
Reacting to all her nominations, the 25-year-old Durban-born star said she was overwhelmed with excitement, as it was something she did not expect.
“I was not expecting it [to be nominated in five categories], but I am very excited because it shows that I am doing well enough to be recognised,” she said.
“As players, we sometimes tend to forget some of the great things that we do because we are too focused on the game.
“When I first saw the nominations, I couldn’t find the answer to what led to those five nominations.
“But when I watched some of my highlights and videos, that’s when I realised some of those moments and good deliveries I made earned me a nomination.
“So, awards serve as that reminder of the hard work we have done and also encourage us to continue putting in the work,” Mlaba added.
Leftie, as the spinner is fondly known, will once again be key when the Proteas contest in the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup in India in September.
