The Proteas women will play their first group match of the World Cup on Friday.
So, here we go again…
Another Cricket World Cup and another chance to win a title, with South African fans crossing their fingers and holding their breaths in hope.
Of course, the national men’s team won the World Test Championship earlier this year, but the nation’s drought continues in World Cup tournaments, and the Proteas women will be hoping to break the duck by lifting the title at the 50-over global showpiece which got underway in India on Tuesday.
The national women’s side have been consistent at World Cups in recent years. In the 50-over and T20 formats, they have reached the playoffs at five of the six tournaments they have played since 2017.
However, while they progressed to the final of the T20 World Cup in 2023 and 2024, they have never made it past the semifinals at the quadrennial 50-over tournament.
Proteas in good form
Fortunately, they seem to be hitting their straps at the right time and will head into the latest edition of the ODI spectacle off a good run of form.
They have since won five of the last seven matches they have played against Sri Lanka, West Indies and Pakistan (all away from home). And the Proteas batters have been particularly impressive, with opener Tazmin Brits, all-rounder Marizanne Kapp and captain Laura Wolvaardt all hitting centuries during their 2-1 series victory over Pakistan in Lahore last month.
But the reality is that they will need to punch above their weight if they want to challenge for the title.
Over the last two years they have played 12 matches against the four teams ranked higher than them – Australia, England, India and New Zealand – and they have won only two of those games.
So they won’t enter the five-week tournament among the favourites to lift the trophy, but they will be confident of putting up a fight, and Proteas fans will again be hoping they go all the way.
South Africa will play their first group stage match of the Women’s Cricket World Cup against England in Guwahati on Friday.
