.jpg) Khaka at the2020 T20 World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1992-07-18)18 July 1992 (age 33) Middledrift,Eastern Cape, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-armmedium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| ODI debut (cap 62) | 6 September 2012 v Bangladesh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 2 November 2025 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 99 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 29) | 11 September 2012 v Bangladesh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 20 October 2024 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 99 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007/08–2016/17 | Border | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017/18–present | Central Gauteng | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020/21 | Supernovas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Velocity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Guyana Amazon Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source:ESPNcricinfo,21 October 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ayabonga Khaka (born 18 July 1992) is a South Africancricketer who plays for thenational cricket team as a right-armmediumbowler.[1][2]
Khaka was born and raised inMiddledrift (also Middeldrift or Ixesi), nearAlice inEastern Cape.[3][4] Her first experience of cricket was playing it in the streets of her home town.[4] She started playing the game formally while in grade 1 at Ingwenya Primary School. That year, at the age of seven, she became the only girl in the boys mini cricket team.[5][6][7]
Right from the beginning, Khaka preferred bowling to batting, as she was less likely to be hit by the ball, and it was challenging, especially against boys. She took particular pleasure in getting boys out. Another reason she liked cricket is that it involved a lot of discipline.[5]
Khaka continued playing mini cricket until she was 14, because no other choices were available to her, and she did not know about women's cricket. Then she started at Ntabenkonyana Senior Secondary School, where not much cricket was played. She therefore quit playing cricket, and took up soccer. The following year, when she was in grade 9, she resumed playing cricket, this time for Middledrift Women's Cricket Club.[5][6][4]
Eventually, Khaka had to choose between cricket and football. She opted for cricket because she enjoyed it more.[5] While playing at Middledrift Women's Cricket Club, she was selected for the Border Under 19 girls' team, and also played simultaneously forthe senior provincial team. In 2009, she was selected for the national Under 19 team.[4]
Khaka spent much of her early career working with formermen's national team fast bowlerMfuneko Ngam at the cricket academy of theUniversity of Fort Hare in Alice.[8] As of 2020[update], she was studying Human Movement Sciences at the university.[3]
Khaka made her debut for the national team in September 2012 against Bangladesh.[1] In May 2018, she took her 50th wicket inWomen's One Day Internationals (WODIs), during the seriesagainst Bangladesh.[9]
In September 2019, she was named in theF van der Merwe XI squad for the inaugural edition of theWomen's T20 Super League in South Africa.[10][11] In January 2020, she was named in South Africa's squad for the2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.[12] On 23 July 2020, Khaka was named in South Africa's 24-woman squad to begin training inPretoria, ahead of theirtour to England.[13]
In January 2022, in the second matchagainst the West Indies, Khaka took her firstfive-wicket haul in WODIs, with 5 for 26.[14] In February 2022, she was named in South Africa's team for the2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.[15] In South Africa's first match of the tournament, against Bangladesh, Khaka took her 100th wicket in WODI cricket.[16]
In May 2022, Khaka played for the Spirit team in the privately run2022 FairBreak Invitational T20 inDubai, United Arab Emirates. On 8 May 2022, she bagged the tournament's firstfive-wicket haul, by taking 5/9 against the Sapphires. She was also awardedplayer of the match.[17][18] At the end of the Invitational, she was included in the Team of the Tournament, after taking a total of nine wickets.[18]
In June 2022, Khaka was named in South Africa'sWomen's Test squad for their one-off matchagainst England Women.[19] In July 2022, she was named in South Africa's team for thecricket tournament at the2022 Commonwealth Games inBirmingham, England.[20] In August 2022, she was signed as an overseas player forGuyana Amazon Warriors for the inaugural edition of theWomen's Caribbean Premier League.[21]
She was named in the South Africa squad for the2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup[22] and for the ODI part of their multi-formathome series against England in November 2024.[23][24]
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Media related toAyabonga Khaka at Wikimedia Commons
South Africa squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bowlers who have taken 100Women's ODI wickets | |
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 Australia |
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 England |
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 India |
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 New Zealand |
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 Pakistan |
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 South Africa |
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 Sri Lanka |
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 West Indies |
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Current players are listed initalics. Updated 4 November 2025. | |
