Kayla Reyneke admits to nerves in World Cup debut

Unfortunately it wasn’t one to remember for Reyneke, as she was dismissed for a duck having faced just three balls. 

Coming in for Marizanne Kapp with the team reeling at 82/4 and still needing 91 runs for victory from just 51 deliveries, the 20-year-old says she did feel some big stage anxiety but not really any pressure to rescue her side.

"Obviously cricket is a very unpredictable sport so sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn't. When it comes off it's pretty special, but I mean that's cricket you can't be on your game 100% every time."

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Reyneke captained South Africa’s U19 Women’s team at the T20 World Cup in Malaysia last year where they lost the final to India, but says it’s the opportunity at the very top level that she’s she has cherished even more. 

She spoke of the surreal feeling of being in the dressing room with the likes of Kapp, Dané van Niekerk, and Shabnim Ismail among other experienced players.

"I think it's pretty cool and exciting for me as a youngster to showcase my talent. Sharing the dressing room with big names is a special feeling."

The youngster says it might not be such a bad thing that they lost their opening game, and hopes they’ve had their bad day at the office already. 

She also pointed to the Springboks, who famously won the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan despite losing their first game of the tournament against New Zealand.