Being a good keeper is about being the loudest, says SA’s Karabo Meso at Under-19 World Cup

From the coaching staff to the players, there is an abundance of talented women in the Proteas Under-19 camp, capable of winning a T20 World Cup this year.

Both staff and players are eager to etch their name in history.

But whether or not the Under-19 side can get over the 2023 World Cup campaign, where they fell short of making the play-offs, will rest on their shoulders alone.

The first match will commence on Saturday against New Zealand in Malaysia (2.30pm SA time start), and conclude on February 2.

The 17-year-old Karabo Meso, who is considered a major talent, ironically is one of the more experienced players in the side, given her international bouts with the senior team.

Meso is one of seven South African players who are returning for a second crack at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

Meso was just 15 when she donned the green and gold at the 2023 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.

Her development within the Proteas set-up since then has propelled her into the senior team a year later, where she joined the SA women’s team.

Now at 17, she is also imparting wisdom onto her fellow players in the Under-19 line-up.

“Being a good keeper is about being the loudest person. Just speaking, chirping all the time, helping to set the field, that makes a good keeper,” Meso told the ICC this week.

The start of a dream for SA Women's U19 🇿🇦.

The grand prize at the end of the journey, the glory and bragging rights that come with it 🏆🌍.

It all begins on the 18th of January 2025 🏏🚀#AlwaysRising #U19WorldCup #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/PlVj0pU66K

— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) January 15, 2025

“I never thought of being a senior player. I’m going to help everyone who is in the same shoes I was in, at their first World Cup.

“We won’t be hard on them, because it’s their first and our second. We’re just going to tell them what I was told in 2023: just do your best.”

But like any other professional athlete, this young star is no overnight success, but rather has been brewed by her sporting parents, interactions with fellow athletes and countless hours of practice.

Meso’s mother played netball, while her father played softball, and she was introduced to the game at a match her sister was playing in.

The 17-year-old then ditched sprinting and took up wicket-keeping.

The saying ‘iron sharpens iron’ would bode well for her time with the senior Proteas Women squad, where she played two T20Is against Sri Lanka, emulating her role models in the game.

“The best thing was seeing all of the players’ routines before and after the game – how they managed themselves, it’s really amazing. Whenever I was sitting on the ground, I would observe everyone: what they’re doing and what is working, right down to how they put their gloves on,” Meso explained.

Some much-needed prep time ahead of the #U19WorldCup 🙌

Warm-up round-up ➡️ https://t.co/ToaGPCwRu1 pic.twitter.com/tRj6OY0paA

— ICC (@ICC) January 15, 2025

Former Proteas players Dinesha Devnarain, Trisha Chetty, Marcia Letsoalo and Angelique Taai, who now coach the Under-19 side, will oversee the pool of talent they have worked on over the past 18 months.

"We’ve placed a strong focus on building a cohesive leadership team, aligning with our philosophy of playing an aggressive yet calculated brand of cricket that mirrors the Proteas Women,” said head coach Devnarain.

“As a former Proteas player, my coaching philosophy prioritises people before performance. I believe in developing players holistically, focusing on small improvements and fostering a culture of care and growth.

“It’s about getting one percent better each day, and doing the basics exceptionally well.” | Independent Media Sport