With the Women's T20 World Cup just around the corner, how will South Africa fare against the world's best teams?
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The Women’s Twenty20 World Cup gets underway next month with the biggest competition in women’s cricket taking place between June 12-July 5 and South Africa are among the “best of the rest” category for glory.
The top 12 sides in the world will all descend on England and Wales as they battle across many of the most famous venues in the sport.
With the semi-finals set to be played at The Oval and the final slated for the iconic Lord’s cricket ground, the cream of the crop in the women’s game with have adequate grounds to showcase their skills with bat and ball.
The competition will see the top 12 teams split into two groups of six nations each. Group A will contain Australia, Bangladesh, India, Netherlands, Pakistan and South Africa. Group B will showcase England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
The top two sides from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the winners of both last four matches meeting in the showpiece final at Lord’s and South Africa will need to upset expectations to be in the last four.
Ahead of the tournament, Australia, England, India and New Zealand sit in first, second, third and fourth respectively in the women’s T20 rankings. Each side is fancied to have their say at the competition, although Bets.co.za’s odds analysis shows Australia are well clear of second favourite India.
One side that fits into the category of best of the rest is South Africa. Arriving as the fourth favourites and number five ranked side in the women’s T20 game, the Proteas boast a well-balanced squad with some world class talent with bat and ball.
South Africa are priced at double figure odds to secure the trophy before the first coin toss of the tournament. They will be confident that they can go one better than they managed in 2024 when beaten in the final by New Zealand, but it will not be easy.
They will face a real test of their credentials to even get out of the group. If they are to make it out of a tough pool, then they will likely face one of England or New Zealand in the semi-finals.
Game 1 – Australia vs South Africa – June 13 – Old Trafford
Game 2 – Pakistan vs South Africa – June 17 – Edgbaston
Game 3 – India vs South Africa – June 21 – Old Trafford
Game 4 – Netherlands vs South Africa – June 25 – Bristol County Ground
Game 5 – Bangladesh vs South Africa – June 28 – Lord’s
Perhaps the biggest challenge for the Proteas will come in their opening match of the tournament as they take on Australia. The Aussies have won six of the previous nine World Cups in a stunning run of form. While South Africa did take the silver medal in 2023 and 2024, their exploits pale in comparison to Australia’s record.
Matches against a Pakistan side ranked in eighth and India, who sit in third, will really test the Proteas. They will target games against the Netherlands and Bangladesh as ones they should win fairly comfortably.
South Africa getting out of the group likely comes down to whether they can beat one of or both India or Australia. A win over the Aussies in game one takes away some of the pressure in their game against India, but defeat at the hands of the Aussies turns their clash with India into a must-win.
Playing what would be tantamount to knockout cricket after their first game will be the last thing this South African side wants. Helping to lift the curtain on the tournament with a win is vital, but that will be easier said than done.
The top three sides in the women’s game in Australia, India and England are very strong. New Zealand also constitutes a real threat and arrive as the defending champions after beating South Africa in the final in 2024.
Despite this, South Africa will point to runs to the finals at both the 2023 and 2024 World Cups as signs of their growth. They will also be buoyed by their stunning 4-1 T20 series win over India as they won handsomely in each of their triumphs across April.
In that series win, Laura Wolvaardt continued to prove that she is not only South Africa’s best batter, but also arguably the best batter in the women’s game.
If Wolvaardt is able to hit top gear, then it will galvanise her team and help to take them to the next level.
Of course, Australia, India, England and New Zealand will all stand in their way, but as the best side away from the trio of favourites, South Africa will be confident they can finally get their hands on the biggest trophy in the T20 game as they finally go from silver medallists to gold.