16|09|2026

by Scent Senti

Karabo Meso put on an exceptional performance against Zimbabwe in the third T20I, scoring her maiden international half-century in a match where her achievement was overshadowed by Laura Wolvaardt’s record-breaking knock at the other end.

 

Meso’s 50 may have gone under the radar, but it could prove to be an important innings for the young wicketkeeper-batter. Wolvaardt’s exceptional 126 off 62 balls was the headline act, but given that the Proteas captain is currently ranked third in the ICC T20I rankings, her coming to Zimbabwe and producing an innings of that quality was hardly unexpected.

 

For Meso, however, the stakes were very different. The 19-year-old has long been identified as the next wicketkeeper in line after Sinalo Jafta. Six months ago, it would have been an easy prediction that Meso would eventually take over the gloves from Jafta.

 

That picture has changed since Yasmeen Khan moved from Namibia and made her intentions clear about representing South Africa.

 

Meso now has competition she may not have anticipated, particularly after establishing herself as one of the leading young wicketkeepers in South African domestic cricket.

 

Khan brings something different to the competition. She already has international experience from her time representing Namibia, although the level of opposition faced by Namibia is considerably different from what the Proteas encounter. The one area where the two can be compared directly is domestic cricket.

 

Since moving from Cape Town to the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, Khan has established herself as an important part of their batting line-up. Her performances also earned her a call-up to the SA Emerging team.

 

Meso was part of that SA Emerging squad as well and kept wicket in more matches than Khan. But that alone does not guarantee her position in the Proteas setup. Ultimately, as a wicketkeeper-batter, she needs to contribute with the bat as well.

 

South Africa was dominated Zimbabwe with the bat in the opening two matches of the series, meaning Meso had little opportunity to make an impact with the bat. That changed in the third T20I when she was called upon as early as the third over and she grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

 

Meso shared a 178-run partnership with one of the best batters in the world and, while she was learning on the job, reached her maiden international fifty from 51 balls.

 

"Wolvie (Wolvaardt) was there 'advised I' be just be calm," said Meso

 

Those figures may not immediately jump off the page, but the importance of the innings goes beyond her strike rate. This was Meso’s first half-century for South Africa, and she played her role perfectly as the supporting partner to Wolvaardt while the Proteas captain produced one of the most remarkable innings of her career.

 

Meso may not have received this opportunity had Jafta not been injured. She had featured in all three matches of the series and kept wicket in the two matches in which she did not bat. Despite not getting an opportunity with the bat earlier in the series, her confidence remained high.

 

Part of that confidence would have come from her recent performances at SA Emerging. Meso had also scored a half-century against Bangladesh Emerging, giving her another experience to draw from when constructing her innings against Zimbabwe.

 

With two matches remaining in the series, Meso has two more opportunities to build on her maiden Proteas fifty and make a stronger case for herself ahead of the South African summer.

 

The competition for the wicketkeeper-batter position is no longer as straightforward as it once appeared, but if Meso can continue adding runs to her game, she will give the selectors another compelling reason to keep backing her.