Cricket in the Rainbow Nation is currently on an upward trajectory, with both the men’s and women’s teams edging closer to getting their hands on that elusive ICC World Cup trophy.
Who Will Win South Africa’s first World Cup?
While there has been heartbreak for both sides over recent years, the winds of change are undoubtedly beginning to blow down south. Indeed, it feels as if it is only a matter of time before long-suffering South African cricket fans finally get their day in the sun.
This sentiment is backed up by the latest cricket odds featured on https://www.paddypower.com/bet which prices the men’s team at just +550 to win the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile, the latest cricket betting tips indicate that the South African women’s team are one of the favorites to win the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in India in 2025.
Mind focused, heart ready 🔥🏏#PUMACRICKET pic.twitter.com/ohhK3OlqqA
— PUMA South Africa (@PUMASouthAfrica) October 17, 2024
Having unexpectedly lost to New Zealand in the final of the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, you can understand why the markets are confident that this South African side can bounce back and go one better at the next scheduled ICC event.
On this evidence, it might be the women’s team who claim the country’s first World Cup, as their tournament takes place 12 months before the men’s.
Mashimbyi’s Masterplan
Another key catalyst for this optimism isn’t just favorable dates, but also the appointment of Mandla Mashimbyi as the new women’s team head coach.
Mashimbyi has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract until April 2027 and over this time, the 44-year-old plans to dramatically upskill the country’s women cricketers to make them world beaters.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has appointed Mandla Mashimbyi as the new Head Coach of the Proteas Women’s Team.
With over a decade of coaching experience at domestic and international levels, Mashimbyi has a track record of success, including multiple championship wins with the… pic.twitter.com/Vr6LDFAkK7
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) November 29, 2024
Mashimbyi’s plan hinges on the introduction of red-ball cricket to South Africa’s newly professionalized women’s domestic league. By incorporating this longer format, Mashimbyi believes that the country will cultivate cricketers who are not only technically adept but also mentally resilient.
Speaking about the possibility of a domestic red-ball league, Mashimbyi said: “What it brings is a thinking cricketer, a cricketer that’s able to solve problems.”
According to Mashimbyi, there is no substitute for extended time out in the middle, where a cricketer can hone their skills in the incomparable environment of the red-ball arena. The rationale is that by doing so, players will have more strings to their bow when they return to the shorter formats. Mashimbyi elaborated: “You become more effective as a player, and you think or feel a lot more efficient.”
Ordinarily, you might have thought that with the Proteas only scheduled to play six Tests over the next four years, Mashimbyi’s vision might be a hard sell to the powers that be at Cricket South Africa (CSA). However, this is an institution who are willing to invest heavily in women’s cricket, as was proven when CSA announced in 2023 that the women’s team would get equal match fees as the men, as covered on ICC’s Website.
Put plainly, it seems likely that the custodians of cricket funding in the Rainbow Nation will rally behind Mashimbyi’s visionary plan and provide the resources needed to bring a domestic red-ball league to life.
With this bold step, the Proteas are setting the stage for a new era as South Africa’s women’s cricket takes meaningful strides towards becoming a dominant force on the global stage.
Loves all things female cricket
