THE Proteas Women have had the best possible preparation going into next month’s 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
With the World Cup being staged in conditions that will be slow and spinner-friendly, which is the total opposite of what South African players are accustomed to at home, it would have been unfair to expect the Proteas Women to match their runners-up finish in last year’s edition of the showpiece event.
Debut at 19!🇿🇦
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) September 17, 2024
The moment she had been waiting for…
Seshnie Naidu received her first T20i cap from Sune Luus yesterday ahead of their match against Pakistan. ✨
What a moment for the young 19 year old!🥹👏#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #AlwaysRising #SAWvPAKW pic.twitter.com/jFhnifzXaO
However, having played five T20 series either against subcontinent teams or in the subcontinent in the past 12 months, including the ongoing series against Pakistan in Multan, the Proteas Women really should be able to hold their own.
Moreover, the team has had multiple camps in an attempt to upskill the players to be better prepared for the conditions that they will encounter in the World Cup.
“I think playing all the subcontinent teams gave us the best possible chance,” Proteas batter Sune Luus told Independent Newspapers.
“We have really been working hard to be better at that (facing spin) as a batting unit and really get a better understanding of our games against it.”
The Proteas Women might have beaten Pakistan in their backyard earlier this week, but the hosts certainly handed them an wake-up call. South Africa’s batting performance was flat and the overall effort in the field was dismal as multiple chances were put down during the first T20 match.
However, there were still positives to take out of that clash and one of them was that former captain Luus was back bowling again after a lengthy period playing only as a batter. This means South Africa now has more spin options, which is good going into the World Cup.
“I want to still contribute in every aspect of the game, so (bowling) off-spin is something I played around with and it became an option. It just gives the team an extra option.”
As the first captain to lead a senior South African team – men or women – to a World Cup final, Luus has a lot to offer the team, especially to captain Laura Wolvaardt, who will be making her World Cup debut as captain in the UAE next month.
Luus says her door is always open for Wolvaardt to ask questions because at the end of the day, captaining in the World Cup is a different ball game.
“I want to still contribute in every aspect of the game, so (bowling) off-spin is something I played around with and it became an option. It just gives the team an extra option,” said Luus.
“Laura has a year under her belt with captaincy, I feel like she’s found her feet and rhythm nicely. Obviously a World Cup is different, but she knows my door is always open and I do my best to help her take care of small things on the field.”
Having relinquished the captaincy after the 2023 World Cup, Luus also relinquished the pressures and expectations that come with the job. The 28-year-old is now solely focused on her role, which is to play as a floating batter, depending on the game situation.
“Captaining your country comes with lots of expectations and pressures, so yes, a part of me is more chilled on the field and just focused on me,” said Luus.
“My role in the middle order is purely based on my ability to face spin and keep the scoreboard ticking. T20 cricket is a game of ebbs and flows, therefore all the batters from No 5 should always be flexible, depending on the game situation.”
The second T20 between the Proteas Women and Pakistan will get under way at 4pm today.