The Proteas Women, after months of preparation including practice and international tours are set to get their ICC Women’s T20 campaign underway with an intriguing clash against the West Indies on Friday afternoon in Dubai. The Group B clash will start from 14:00 local time (12:00 SAST) in Dubai International Stadium, and live broadcast is available on SuperSport Cricket, channel 212.
During a pre-match conference ahead of the fixture, Proteas’ captain Laura Wolvaardt expressed how the preparations will have a positive impact in their campaign, “We are a very talented group of players. We’ve had a few ups and downs in recent times, but I’d like to think that we’ve put in a lot of good hard work and have a lot of really clear plans heading into this World Cup. Hopefully, we’re peaking at the right time and if we all play our best cricket, then we stand a really good chance,” she said.
The South African team will be eager to improve their overall record against the West Indies,
which currently sits at seven wins in 22 matches, with one no-play result. Their most recent meeting was at a T20 International Tri-series in South Africa last January – part of the pre-ICC Women’s T20 World Cup leg with India.
Reflecting on their upcoming opponents, Wolvaardt remarked: “Deandra Dottin is back. She’s a world-class player. I don’t think she was there the last time we played them, and that was on our home conditions. We had a good series, if I remember correctly. But these are totally different conditions now. Hayley Matthews is probably in the best form she’s been in for a long time. I’m not sure if she scored many runs in that series, but she has definitely scored a lot since then.”
Wolvaardt added, “She’s probably the key wicket. If we can get her out early, or at least keep her quiet, it will be good for us.”
Spin is expected to play a crucial role in the UAE’s conditions, and Wolvaardt expressed confidence in the team’s spin options, particularly highlighting Sunê Luus’ off-spin and the potential impact of youngster Seshnie Naidu. “It’s good. I think even better than we expected with Sune’s off spin coming out really nicely. That’s sort of been something that we’ve been lacking in the past two years, is an off spinner that is in the side regularly.”
“And just to have that off spinner in the top four or five, it just gives us that different dynamic if there’s left-handers or just helps a bit with matchups. Previously we’ve sort of just had the two left-armers, and it makes it difficult if there’s two left-handers in, for example, because it just balls into the arc. It’s nice to have that option. Seshnie [Naidu] had a good run in Pakistan as well. I think that was a great exposure for her,” she commented.
Proteas Women Squad – ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 (United Arab
Emirates):
Laura Wolva
ardt (Captain) (Fidelity Titans)
Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans)
Tazmin Brits (DP World Lions)
Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province)
Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers)
Mieke de Ridder (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers)
Ayanda Hlubi (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions)
Marizanne Kapp (World Sports Betting Western Province)
Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions)
Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans)
Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
Seshnie Naidu (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions)
Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions)
Travelling Reserve
Miané Smit (Recon Tactical Free State)
Article written by: Thembakazi Mvakwendlu
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