Ayabonga Khaka

Ayabonga Khaka, born on July 18, 1992, in Middledrift, Eastern Cape, South Africa, is a distinguished right-arm medium bowler who plays for the South African women's national cricket team. She began playing cricket at age seven, initially joining a boys' mini cricket team and later progressing through domestic ranks. Khaka made her international debut for South Africa in September 2012 against Bangladesh and since then has become a pivotal player in the national team.

Known for her seam movement and control, Khaka has been remarkably consistent, accumulating over 100 wickets across all international formats. She has earned several accolades, including Cricket South Africa’s Women’s Player of the Year for 2021/22 and featured in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year in 2022. Notably, she was instrumental in South Africa's historic run to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final in 2023, taking crucial wickets at the death overs in their win against England. Khaka's disciplined bowling, combined with her calm and focused demeanor, makes her one of the strongest bowlers in South African women's cricket, with a very promising future ahead.