South Africa will have another shot at global domination when they challenge for the title at the Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales, writes Firdose Mooda.
Could it be third time lucky for South Africa’s women’s team at the T20 World Cup?
After reaching the last two tournament finals, they will be aiming to go one better in England this winter and become the first senior side to lift a white-ball World Cup.
If signs are anything to go by, there is at least one pointing in their favour: the final takes place at Lord’s, where the men’s team lifted the World Test Championship mace last June.
Tournaments are not won as much by fate as form and South Africa have had a mixed bag recently. After beating Ireland and Pakistan at home, they lost to New Zealand away before hosting India and results aside, they are well-prepped for the event.
They will be led by Laura Wolvaardt, who has been the leading runscorer in the last two editions of the tournament, and has a wealth of experience surrounding her.
Former captain Dane van Niekerk is back in the mix while allrounder Marizanne Kapp, who has played in every edition of the tournament, has vowed not to give up the international game until South Africa win a major trophy.
With Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Sinalo Jafta and Ayabonga Khaka all in the ranks, South Africa have the personnel to go all the way.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
As the women’s game continues to grow, the T20 World Cup has been expanded from 10 teams to 12.
Expect all the usual suspects plus first-timers Netherlands, whose men’s team have been regulars at global tournaments for several editions.
The teams are divided into two groups of six and the top two in each pool will advance to the semi-finals.
PLAYERS TO WATCH – SOUTH AFRICA
After leading South Africa’s Under-19 side to the age-group World Cup final in 2025, Kayla Reyneke’s stocks have risen fast.
A powerful middle-order finisher and handy off-spinner, she made her senior international debut in a T20 international in February and promptly earned two player of the match performances in her first four matches.
Reyneke then went on to bat South Africa to victory in her first ODI, where she needed to hit a six! the final ball against New Zealand, and did.
Early in her career, she has shown herself to be a clean striker of the ball with a temperament as cool as ice and her decision to forgo a career as a javelin thrower appears to have been the right one.
Reyneke was the South African Under-15 javelin champion while at Bellville High.
Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba took 12 wickets at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the UAE, which was the most by a South African in a single edition of the tournament and fourth highest overall.
While conditions in England will be different to the spinner-friendly venues in the Middle Eastern desert, Mlaba has shown herself to be adaptable thanks to changes in pace and her natural ability to turn the ball more than most.
She has been ranked among the ICC’s top 10 T20I bowlers for several years and has been listed as high as second, which speaks to her immense value.
Mlaba’s energy, passion and desire to perform for the team makes her the complete package and rounds of a South African attack that has every variety of spinner and a strong pace contingent.
PLAYERS TO WATCH – BEST OF THE REST
At 38 years old, New Zealand’s Suzie Bates shows absolutely no signs of stopping as she continues to dominate this format.
Bates is the leading runscorer in women’s T20Is and could become the first to reach 5 000 runs at this tournament. Bates has moved from opening the batting to the middle order as New Zealand plan for the future.
Since Shabnim Ismail, the women’s
game has lacked an out-and-out
quick but India’s Kranti Gaud seems
set to step into the role.
She rose to prominence through the WPL, India’s franchise T20 tournament, and has since played across all formats at international level.
In June 2025, at the age of 21, she became the youngest Indian bowler to take five wickets or more in an ODI when she claimed 6 for 52 against England.
She was part of the Indian team that beat South Africa in the final of last year’s ODI World Cup and will hope to make an impact on her first T20 tournament.
It is rare to have a women’s associate cricketer make a career in a Full Member set-up but Netherlands’ Sterre Kalis (no relation to South Africa’s Jacques Kallis) has done exactly that.
A regular in England, Kalis has played for two franchises in the Hundred and has vast experience of conditions and opposition in the country.
No Dutch female player has more T20I runs or fifties than her, which makes her a key cog in their campaign.
GROUP 1
Six-time champions Australia have been proved beatable by none other than South Africa, who knocked them out of the last edition in the semifinals. Without Alyssa Healy, who retired earlier this year, they appear to be in a transition phase and their reputation as serial winners is at risk. South Africa and India are the two likeliest challengers in a group that also includes Pakistan, Bangladesh and Netherlands.
GROUP 2
Defending champions New Zealand headline this group and they are joined by the hosts, England as well as 2016 champions West Indies. All three have a good chance of progressing to the knockouts but will not have it easy against strong opposition. Sri Lanka, who narrowly missed out on the ODI World Cup semifinals, Ireland and Scotland make up the rest of the pool.
VENUES
Matches will be played at seven venues that stretch across England, from Leeds in the north to Southampton on the opposite side. In between, teams will travel through Manchester, Birmingham and London. Both the Oval and Lord’s are host venues and finals week will take place entirely in London with the semi-finals being played at the Oval and the final at Lord’s. This is the second time Lord’s will stage a Women’s World Cup final after a breakthrough, sell-out event at the ODI World Cup in 2017.
