In the heart of South Africa’s cricketing landscape, Laura Wolvaardt stands at the helm, driven by a singular ambition, to lift the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy. Under Sune Luus leadership South Africa made their first-ever International Cricket Council (ICC) final appearance in the 2023 tournament and current skipper Laura Wolvaardt reflects on that moment as a transformative chapter for women’s cricket in the country.
Quoting Wolvaardt, “Reaching our first-ever World Cup final in 2023 was a big landmark moment for us. It was a big ‘breaking the barriers and pushing the boundaries’ moment for the team.”
Yet, the journey doesn’t end with reaching the final; it’s about going further. With a fierce determination, Wolvaardt aims to turn last year’s disappointment into triumph. The team, once confined to the shadows of semi-final exits, now possesses the drive to conquer the ultimate prize.
“Now we’d like to go that one step further and lift the trophy, but anything can happen in a final in T20 cricket once you’ve played a whole competition to get there,” said Wolvaardt.
Drawing from the strength of continuity, the squad boasts 11 familiar faces from the previous year, and Wolvaardt believes that their shared experiences will be instrumental in achieving their goal.
She said, “It really is just about taking it one game at a time and knowing in the back of our minds that we have the talent and the ability to make the final with a squad that’s not all too different from the one we had last time.”
As the stage is set for the T20 World Cup 2024 in the vibrant venues of Sharjah and Dubai, Wolvaardt feels the excitement building. The unique atmosphere of neutral territory means that every team will face the same challenges, leveling the playing field.
Sharing her excitement for the 2024 World Cup, she said, “I’m very excited about the T20 World Cup being in Dubai and Sharjah. I think what’s pretty cool is that it’s sort of neutral territory for all of the teams. Most of the teams will be going in with the same amount of experience in the conditions, not having played there much before, so that’s quite exciting.”
While South Africa has recently grappled with the challenges of Asian conditions in tours to Pakistan and India, Wolvaardt knows that the real test lies in adapting to the sweltering UAE heat. The team’s preparations have been meticulous, with a blend of skill-building and match simulations.
“Our preparation has been very good. We had a good tour to India and then had a month where some of us went off to The Hundred and the rest of us stayed at home. We also had two separate camps where we did match scenarios and a lot of skill work that is needed for T20 cricket,” Wolvaardt commented on their lead-up to the World Cup.
“That will be a big challenge for us, adapting to the heat. But other than that, I think we’ve ticked all the boxes and hopefully it bodes well in the World Cup,” she added.
As the Proteas gear up for their campaign in Group B, facing formidable opponents like England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Scotland, their journey begins against the West Indies on October 4 in Dubai. With every ball bowled and every run scored, Wolvaardt and her team seek not just to compete, but to etch their names in the annals of cricket history, chasing the elusive dream of a World Cup title.