Karabo Meso: “Going to Help Everyone Who Is in Same Shoes I Was In”

New Delhi: South Africa’s wicketkeeper-batter Karabo Meso is set to make her second appearance in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, and she’s determined to support the young players who find themselves in the same position she was in at her first World Cup.

Karabo, who has already played two senior women’s T20I matches, is one of the seven South African players returning for the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, which kicks off on January 18 in Malaysia. South Africa is in Group C alongside New Zealand, Nigeria, and Samoa.

“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,” Karabo shared. “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.”

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Reflecting on Her Senior Team Call-up

Karabo also looked back on her senior team call-up, which came during the Africa Games in Ghana. “When I got that call, everything went silent. It all happened really quickly. It shows that as much as you can plan your life, these moments won’t happen when you want them to happen. I couldn’t believe it, suddenly I was in a team with people I had only seen on TV,” she said.

Learning from Senior Players

Having joined the senior women’s setup at just 16 years old, Karabo gained valuable insights into player routines and self-management. “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!”

A Family of Athletes

Karabo comes from a family with a strong sporting background. Her mother played netball and her father pursued softball. Her journey into cricket began when she watched her sister play the game. She transitioned from sprinting to cricket, ultimately becoming a wicket-keeper. Her skill in wicket-keeping has been a key factor in her career progression, leading her to play in South Africa’s first-ever U19 World Cup in 2023.

Discovering Her Potential

Karabo recalls an early turning point when a coach noticed her potential in the nets: “Their coach wasn’t happy with what they were doing on the field. He said, ‘Hey, come here’ and started throwing me balls in the nets. We were going for an hour and he told my mum, ‘You should bring her to practice, she’s got potential’.”

For Karabo, being a good wicket-keeper is about more than just catching the ball. “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.”