Cape Town – The Proteas Women have the opportunity to put an end to an unwanted record in their T20 World Cup semi-final against hosts Australia.
In 15 ODIs and 4 T20Is between the two teams, the Proteas have never managed to beat the team from Down Under.
But that might be about to change as South Africa showed fine form by finishing the group stages of the tournament by topping Group B with three wins with their final match abandoned due to rain.
They are now scheduled to take on the defending champions on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (10:00 SA time).
Proteas skipper Dane van Niekerk said that despite going into the tournament as underdogs, their campaign has been smooth sailing so far.
“Generally in these tournaments, in those crucial times of the game is where we are kind of get lost. Whereas in this tournament, when we were down, we kind of got up again,” said Van Niekerk following their washed out game on Tuesday.
“It’s nice that everything is coming together slowly but surely.”
READ | Proteas women ready for toughest challenge in T20 semi-final
Van Niekerk was optimistic that South Africa could break their voodoo in their knockout match this week.
“We’ve never beaten them before, we really want to beat them and what better way to do it in World Cup semi-final,” said Van Niekerk.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game. They’ve got experience in the big tournaments and we’re not as experienced on the big stage as they are.
“Hopefully everything can get together for us and it’ll be a good spectacle for women’s cricket.”
If the Proteas women are successful on Thursday, they will become the first South African cricket team to ever make a final of an ICC event since the 1998 Champions Trophy.
England will take on India in the other semi-final clash.
The winners will play in the T20 World Cup final at the MCG, which will take place on International Women’s Day on Sunday.
Proteas ICC Women’s T20 squad:
Dané van Niekerk (captain, Eastern Province), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province), Lizelle Lee (North West), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Suné Luus (Northerns), Chloe Tryon (KwaZulu-Natal Coastal), Shabnim Ismail (KZN Coastal), Ayabonga Khaka (Gauteng), Masabata Klaas (North West), Tumi Sekhukhune (North West), Trisha Chetty (KZN Coastal), Nonkululeko Mlaba (KZN Coastal), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province) and Nondumiso Shangase (KZN Coastal)
– Compiled by Lynn Butler
