The Proteas were destroyed in New Zealand, but triumphed at home against India, and will take plenty of lessons into the T20 World Cup.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur congratulates Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt on winning the match during the third Women’s T20I match at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in April. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt says their tour of New Zealand and home series against India served as ideal preparation for their run at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title in England and Wales next month.
The Proteas are hoping that it will be third time lucky, after they reached the final of the previous two editions, on home soil in 2023 and in the UAE in 2024, but came up short on both occasions, losing to Australia and New Zealand respectively.
They had completely different results in both T20I series earlier this year, going down 4-1 in New Zealand before clinching an impressive 4-1 win at home over India, but Wolvaardt explained they took plenty out of both, despite their disappointing showing Down Under.
“The preparation has been really good so far. We’ve had a lengthy run of cricket leading into the World Cup, especially with the tours against New Zealand and India, and I think those series gave us a great opportunity to test ourselves in different situations,” explained Wolvaardt.
“The New Zealand tour challenged us in various ways, whether it was the conditions, our execution or the opposition, while the India series was another good test against one of the strongest teams in the world.
“Winning that series gave the group a lot of confidence, but more importantly, it showed the ability and resilience within the squad. Players stepped up at different times and that’s something you need at a World Cup.
“I think those tours also reinforced that we’re moving in the right direction as a team. We’ve been super focused on being consistent over the last year and there’s a strong belief within the group about what we’re capable of achieving.”
World Cup finals
Wolvaardt admitted that reaching the past two T20 World Cup finals was an impressive achievement for the Proteas, who weren’t billed as one of the favourites heading into either, but they still wanted more and had learnt plenty from getting to the finales.
“Reaching back-to-back T20 World Cup finals has obviously been very special for us as a team, but I think it’s also made us even hungrier to go one step further. Behind the scenes, there’s been a massive focus on trusting the process and improving in the small moments that can decide big games,” said Wolvaardt.
“We’ve spent a lot of time looking back at key situations from previous tournaments and understanding where we can be better, whether that’s tactically, mentally or in how we handle pressure moments.
“There’s also been a big emphasis on creating an environment where everyone feels clear about their role while prioritising the process that we have to follow in order to achieve our goals. One of the strengths of this team is how close we have become off the field.
“We’ve built strong relationships and trust within the group over time, and I think that really helps in pressure situations. There’s a calmness and maturity within the squad now that comes from having experienced players who have been part of those big matches in the past.”
- Additional information from ICC
