Grantleigh Schools has reason to celebrate as 13-year-old Nobubelebesisa “Nobe” Zwane has been selected for the South Africa Under-19 Women’s Cricket Team, marking a remarkable milestone in her young sporting career.

Zwane, who joined Grantleigh Schools as a preschooler in 2016, is part of the next wave of future stars preparing for the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup to be hosted in Bangladesh and Nepal next year. Despite competing against players up to seven years her senior, the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal batter has already shown composure and maturity beyond her years. Her selection follows an outstanding performance at the CSA Under-13 Girls Week in Johannesburg, where she amassed 206 runs in five T20 matches, including back-to-back half-centuries as captain of the KZN U13 side. She finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer.

During the ongoing Youth T20 Tri-Series in Durban, Zwane earned her maiden SA U19 cap, featuring in the opening match against Zimbabwe and scoring an unbeaten seven runs late in the innings. “I didn’t see the potential at first, but once I continued, it was going well,” she said. “Being at Grantleigh has really helped me balance my education and sport.” An accomplished multi-sport athlete, Zwane represented her school in cricket, netball, hockey, football and swimming, earning district and provincial honours in all but swimming, which she continues at club level.

She credits her family — particularly her mother and sister — and her school environment for their constant support. Inspired by Proteas Women captain Laura Wolvaardt, Zwane is focused on growth, discipline and humility as she looks ahead. “My goal for 2026 is to train harder, gym more and continue learning from experienced players,” she said. Zwane’s achievement stands as a testament to the power of early development, strong values and a supportive educational environment — and signals a very promising future for South African women’s cricket.