Benoni Indians will have four players flying the South African flag at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U15 Baseball World Cup in Mexico later this year.

Tatum White, Tinashe Mutseka, Oakley Brooklyn and Ashton Devy are eager to test themselves against the world’s best.

The quartet was named in the 20-man South African squad for the global showpiece, which takes place in Mérida, Mexico, from September 25 to October 4.

South Africa faces a daunting challenge in Group A, where they will come up against baseball powerhouses the Dominican Republic, Japan, Cuba, hosts Mexico and Germany.

White, who represented South Africa at the 2022 WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup in Taiwan, said he is determined to make the most of his second appearance on the world stage.

The 15-year-old pitcher, one of the key members of the national squad, hopes to use the experience gained in Taiwan to help his teammates while proudly representing the country.

“Like they always say, play for the badge on the front and they’ll remember the name on the back. During this World Cup, I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.

“I also mustn’t be too hard on myself. I think it’s going to be another great experience and I’ll do my best to share what I learned from my previous World Cup.”

Also Read: Benoni Indians girls to fly SA flag in USA

Mutseka (15) said seeing his name on the final squad was a dream come true and a reward for years of dedication and hard work.

“This isn’t provincial or club baseball anymore – this is baseball at the highest level,” he said.

“It’s important that we raise our game. We’ve put in a lot of work and now we’re going to compete against the best teams in the world. We are representing Africa and we’re going to show them how Africans play the game. We’re going to play hard and without fear.”

For Brooklyn, 15, the World Cup selection is the biggest achievement of his baseball career, surpassing even winning the national U15 title with Gauteng A at this year’s national championships.

“I’ve been doing a lot of work behind the scenes to improve my catching and batting. This means so much to me. I’m proud of all the hard work I’ve put in to earn this opportunity,” he said.

“I’m very thankful for everything my parents have done for me. I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I’m going to give it my absolute best when we get to Mexico.”

Benoni High School learner Devy, also 15, said he cannot wait to pull on the green and gold and sing the national anthem before taking to the field.

“It’s a huge opportunity and I’m incredibly grateful for it. I’m really excited to experience something like this and I hope it’s the first of many times I’ll represent South Africa,” he said.

Devy, who started playing baseball at the age of four after taking up the sport out of boredom, dreams of one day furthering his career in the United States.

“I’m really grateful that I started playing baseball. My dream is to keep progressing and hopefully one day play Minor League Baseball in the USA.”

Also Read: WATCH: Indians’ Kimberly hits a homerun at junior prize-giving