Cricket South Africa has assured Sydney Sixers pair Dane van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp that they'll be safe on the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh just months after England captain Eoin Morgan refused to travel to the country, citing security concerns.
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Van Niekerk and Kapp depart Sydney for Bangladesh on Tuesday where they'll contest a five-match one-day-international series before returning to Australia for the Women's Big Bash finals, should the Sixers still be in the competition.
Morgan and opening batsman Alex Hales made themselves unavailable for England's three-match ODI series in October following a terrorist attack in Bangladesh in July.
The move was not without precedent. In October of 2015 the South African women's team pulled out of a tour to Bangladesh following the killings of two foreigners in the country, a decision taken not long after the Australian men's team cancelled a two-Test series in the same nation.
Earlier this week Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland suggested the possibility of a two-Test series in Bangladesh later this year, and van Niekerk said the South African women's team was now ready for another tour of the Asian nation.
"We did speak to our association and CSA has been really working hard with the security officers and stuff back home to make sure that it is safe for the tour to go," van Niekerk said.
"Last year we did pull out of the tour but this year we've been told that it's safe and they've put in amazing security measures for us.
"We're quite excited to go, it's always nice to go to play in different conditions and Bangladesh is becoming a really good team and so giving them some game time too is good."
Van Niekerk and Kapp will play in the top-of-the-table double header against Perth Scorchers on Sunday and Monday, but miss next weekend's derby clash at the SCG against the Sydney Thunder. The Sixers have made one change for Sunday's game against the Scorchers, with Carly Leeson replacing Lisa Sthalekar.
Losing van Niekerk and Kapp is a blow for the Sixers' run into the finals, with the international pair having taken 13 wickets between them this season.
They'll be replaced by England's Amy Jones and Kim Garth from Ireland, and van Niekerk was hopeful the table toppers could continue their recent run of form into the finals.
"We always laugh and say we don't want to peak too early and with a long season like this that's kind of the truth," van Niekerk said.
"The girls have been doing really well and I've just been enjoying it. Everything's really good and the vibe in the team's awesome.
"We always say that Australia sets the standard for women's cricket and women's sport in general. It's just been amazing how the WBBL and the BBL really makes a big deal of this and the people really buy into it and that's a really good thing to see."
