Proteas Women have moved on from India thriller and are fully aware of Tigresses' claws

The Proteas Women’s ICC Women's Cricket World Cup campaign was always centred around their opening three matches. 

Facing former champions England, current T20 World Cup title-holders New Zealand and hosts India in the starting blocks was going to be challenging, which became abundantly evident after the English inflicted a 10-wicket thrashing on the Proteas in the Guwahati opener.

But Laura Wolvaardt’s side have not reached successive T20 World Cup finals without showing great character and resilience in addition to their skills and bounced back with a comprehensive victory over the White Ferns before completing a thrilling run-chase in Visakhapatnam last Thursday.

With the emotions still running high, it would be easy to fall into the trap that it's a downhill road now against some “lesser teams” such as Bangladesh on Monday.

But seam bowler Tumi Sekhukhune is fully aware that the Proteas cannot let their guard down against a Bangladesh team that has already taken down Pakistan and gave England an almighty fright at this World Cup.

“I think we actually took the win (against India), but we don't really want to dwell on the win. We want to focus on other matches as they are as important as the one that we played,” Sekhukhune said.

“There's no easy team. We take every game as important. We look at it as important. I think it's going to be a very tough game for us with Bangladesh.”

The Proteas are undoubtedly heavy favourites due to their favourable record against the Tigresses with 18 victories and only three defeats in 21 ODIs. However, Laura Wolvaardt’s team will not need a reminder of their last loss to Bangladesh when Nahida Akter and Co spun out the Proteas on a sluggish surface at Buffalo Park in East London two years ago.

“We know that they're going to come with much more slow bowlers, typically the spinners,” Sekhukhune said.

“I think we said as a team that you want to take it one step at a time, one ball at a time, but we just want to keep ticking all the boxes that we know we didn't do well in the previous games. So, if we do that, then hopefully we come out on the better side.”

After playing her first match at the World Cup in Visakhapatnam, Sekhukhune showed that her medium-pace bowling is tailormade for the surface. The 26-year-old delivered an assortment of cutters and also a well-disguised slower ball that accounted for India’s dangerous opener Pratika Rawal.

With the Proteas playing consecutive matches at the same venue for the first time in this World Cup, Sekhukhune is looking forward to showing off her skills again.

I think, with a bowling style like mine, what I try to do is bowl my variations as much as possible. I think that's my gameplan,” she said.

“But obviously coming to the subcontinental teams, sometimes pace doesn't work or rather go your way. So, I think I try to change up my pace there and then see how that can actually work for me. 

“And even back at home in South Africa with the coaches and the bowling staff, I think we've also spoken about how that will be so crucial for me since I don't really have much pace. So yeah, I think that actually worked well. So hopefully I can take that forward.”

FULL SQUADS 

Proteas: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, Tazmin Brits, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase. Reserve: Miané Smit

Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter, Farzana Haque, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Islam Trisna, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Nishita Akter Nishi, Sumaiya Akter.

Start: 11:30am TV: SuperSport