Proteas women’s coach, Mandla Mashymbyi, does NOT want his team to focus on the past as they are about to start the T20 World Cup.
The local team will open with a grudge match against Australia at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, today at 3.30 pm.
The tournament, which will be played by 12 countries in England and Wales, started yesterday evening and will conclude on July 5.
The number of teams has been increased since previously only 10 teams were played.
Apart from the increase of the teams, the organization that oversees cricket in the world, the International Cricket Council (ICC), has also confirmed that it has increased the amount of money that will be allocated to the teams that will leave the tournament early this year.
The winning team will also receive 2.34 million USD (approximately R38.64 million), as it happened in 2024. All participating countries will receive at least 247,500 USD (about R4.08 million), which means that it has doubled the amount compared to the 112,500 USD that the teams from the group stage received in 2024.
The Proteas will start in Group A where they will face Australia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. In Group B there are England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland and Scotland.
Each team will play five group stage matches, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
This tournament will also give the local team a chance to end the pain of years of getting close to success and finally win.
The women’s Proteas reached the final of the tournament in 2023, where they were defeated by Australia. They entered it again in 2024, and were defeated by New Zealand.
Apart from the T20 World Cup, the local team also entered the final of the One Day International last year, and was defeated by India.
“The good thing is that I do not have a history with Australia but the players do. We will not focus on them but we will pay attention to what we intend to do, and the type of cricket we want to play. The thing that will take us forward in this tournament is how we play each game,” said Mashymbyi.
“Countries like Australia, England and others are trying to protect their history, we still want to make history. I know that Australia is a high-level team. We don’t care where they are and their journey, I want our girls to believe that they can beat them.”
Mashymbyi has selected a strong squad with experienced players including Shabnim Ismail, captain Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Chloé Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba and others.
ICC Women’s T20 World fixtures this weekend:
Today – Scotland v Ireland (11.30am); Australia v South Africa (3.30pm); West Indies v New Zealand (7.30pm)
On Sunday – Bangladesh v Netherlands (11.30am); India v Pakistan (3.30pm)