An ode to Lizelle Lee: the perfect weave of shy and explosive

Lizelle Lee, the perfect weave of shy and explosive, broke into the international scene at the tender age of 21. Already hailed as a hard-hitter, Lee made sure she carried on her legacy throughout her time in the South African squad. 

She found her undying love for cricket, aged 7, in her backyard while playing with her brother and her dad. Albeit she went into university aspiring to be a teacher and play Hockey for her country, the dream wasn't cemented, and fate had other plans for her.

After a couple of years in university, Lizelle got her first national cricket call-up. To her dismay, she didn't make the team, but the coach asked her to stay in the squad as a backup; another year later, she made her debut, and the rest is history. 

"I never thought I would play cricket for my country; that was never a dream for me," said the phenomenal batter who would later go on to inspire millions of young women and girls with her incendiary batting and her wholehearted spirit. 

Now retired from the international sport, she leaves the game as the second-highest run-scorer for the Proteas women. The first is the recently retired Mignon du Preez. She was also honoured by Wisden for everything she did for Proteas and was named among the five 'Wisden Cricketers of the Year' in April 2022. 

"It is with a lot of mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from international cricket. From a very young age, I have lived cricket and wanted to represent my country at the highest level. Over the past 8 years, I was able to live that dream, and I feel I have given everything I could to the Proteas," said Lee as she announced her retirement from international cricket. 

Looking back on her career, all wasn’t sunny for the big-hitter. In 2021, she opened up about her mental health struggles, stating that she couldn’t even find the mental strength to get out of bed in the mornings. She especially opened about her grapple with the pandemic and the endless bio-bubbles that came with it. She almost lost her father but couldn’t travel back home.

An epiphany struck her when she ‘cried all day’ after a particular incident on a tour. It was a realisation that she needed a break and pulled herself out of the Women's Big Bash. The break lasted a total of 3 months and the batter made a phenomenal comeback. Teaching us the importance of speaking out on mental health struggles, if she hadn’t taken a break, things would have been much different. 

Lee had been menacing with the bat throughout the WBBL and the Kia Super League. Time and again, driving, or should I stay bashing her team to victory. Whirlwind hundreds, gigantic sixes and a heart worth of gold: this is the legacy she leaves behind. 

We celebrate the striker for her openness and all she has done throughout her career, for cricket and for the young girls that will succeed her. We celebrate her for not shying away from talking about her struggles. We celebrate her for her big scores and the path that she has blazed.