Mlaba riding the wave back into the top ten T20 bowler rankings
Hollywoodbets Dolphins Ladies and Momentum Proteas left-arm
spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba continues to make waves on the international stage
after again cracking the top ten of the ICC T20 Bowlers rankings.
Mlaba's career has continued to go from strength-to-strength and the KwaMashu-born star proved her worth again in 2022 where she played in seven T20 Internationals taking nine wickets at an average of just under 16.50.
She also picked up career-best figures of three for 22 against England earlier in the year.
Currently sitting at eighth on the T20 bowlers rankings, Mlaba is the second highest ranked South African behind her seaming team-mate Shabnim Ismail who sits in third.
Mlaba is happy that she was able to bowl her way back into the top ten on the women's T20 rankings.
“It’s not the first time I am in the top ten, I was there after the last T20 World Cup but being able to get back into the top ten shows how hard I have worked," Mlaba said. "I want to continue going and hopefully even make the number one spot.
“T20 is my favourite format. I enjoy it, and I love the competition and the challenging of each other that exists. 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 added.
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Having made her way through the popular Township Development Programme in KwaZulu-Natal, Mlaba was awarded the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket award at the recent CSA Awards. She is the living example of how cricket can changes someone's life.
“At the end of the day, all that I have is through cricket,” she said candidly. “I can say that 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 [her national 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.
