Former South Africa Women’s team captain Mignon du Preez retired from ODIs and Tests to “focus” her attention on “T20 cricket going forward.”

Preez served as the captain of the women’s team in all three cricket forms; ODI, Test and T20I from 2007 to 2018.

The 32-year-old made her debut in January 2007 at the age of 17 for South Africa’s national women’s cricket team. Preez owns the title of being the highest run-scorer for South Africa women’s team in ODIs and T20I.

The right-handed batter also played the most number of matches as a captain in both T20I and ODI.

Early life

Preez was born on June 13,1989, in the South African capital of Pretoria. For the first time, at the age of 12, Preez showcased her cricketing skills on a field and smashed 258 runs in a game of 40 overs, including 16 sixes and 25 fours.

Five years down the line, she got into the South African national side, replacing injured captain Shandre Fritz.

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Retirement

“I’ve been wonderfully fortunate to play in four ICC ODI World Cups to date,” Du Preez announced her retirement in a statement released by Cricket South Africa on April 7. 

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“These have been some of my most treasured memories in life. I would however love to prioritise time with my family and hopefully start a family of my own soon. I feel the time is right to announce my retirement from the longer format of the game and focus my attention on T20 cricket going forward. Thus, I decided to retire from ODI cricket at the completion of our recent World Cup in New Zealand,” she said.

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“I feel South African women’s cricket is in a very healthy state and the time is right to step away and allow the next generation of exciting cricketers to continue to grow this beautiful game of ours,” Preez concluded.