Professional athletes almost every time want to play in the big matches and tournaments but that's not always the case as it's not something they control.

This is one of the harsh realities which Proteas wicketkeeper and bowler Tumi Sekhukhune had to live with recently after she was left out of the 15-woman squad that took part in the Women’s T20 World Cup. 

Sekhukhune watched the World Cup from home as she was selected as a non-travelling reserve alongside Micaéla Andrews and Tebogo Macheke. Although she was the biggest and proudest fan of the Proteas as they fell short in the final against Australia, missing out on the event was heartbreaking for her.

“It was heartbreaking for me to not be part of that, yet I was very proud of the team," she said when speaking to Sowetan on the sidelines of the Betway women in sports event last week. 

'I knew I was part of a team that was making strides in the last couple of years and knew that I could have been there and contributed. I was very proud of my team and excited to see what they achieved at the World Cup and making history, breaking boundaries. I was sitting at home rooting for them. I take pride in that."  

Sekhukhune believes that the decision to leave her out of the team was also hard on coach Hilton Moreeng and the selectors.

“We had conversations before the squad was announced. I was going through a lot last year, I didn’t get game time because of my injury. Being injured is not easy for women, especially getting back into your shape and fitness. It was heartbreaking for me, and it was very difficult for them as well to come to that conclusion," the 24-year-old said. 

Painful omissions are part of sports, and their effects are often overlooked, how they leave the affected athlete is never considered. Sekhukhune believes this is something that should get spoken about more often as it takes a toll on athletes' mental health. 

“These are the harsh realities, sometimes you do make it and sometimes you don’t, if you don’t, especially in cricket, you get left behind which is not fair, because you know you played well for a season, yet when you don’t get the opportunity to prove yourself, you get left behind.  

“It’s crazy because we don’t talk about it in sports in general, it's very tough mental-wise, you have to be on top of your game all the time. We travel for months not seeing our families and friends, it contributes to your performance as well, it’s very sad," said Sekhukhune.