For the first time ever, South Africa hosts the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup with games set to be played at Newlands in Cape Town, Boland Park in Paarl, and St George’s Park in Gqeberha. Choking as a host nation on home soil is not uncommon, seeing that the same thing happened to Australia in 2020 and also to England in 2017.

The excitement was high in the South African camp leading up to the game and the Proteas were ready to go in strong. Captain and all-rounder, Sune Luus, said, “A lot of the skills have improved and I think going into this World Cup we are more confident in our skills.”

Having been sent to bat by the home side, Sri Lanka reached a score of 129/4. A huge part of the team's success is owed to the opening game’s Player of the Match, Chamari Athapaththu. 

Reaching a half-century, Athapaththu said, “I tried to lead from the front, it was a team performance,” upon receiving her Player of the Match award.

Athapaththu secured 68 off 50 balls and shortly before her, the 17-year-old young star, Vishmi Gunaratne, scored 35 off 34 balls before being run out by a direct hit from Tazmin Brits. 

In terms of South Africa’s bowling, the final wicket of the match came off the bowling of pacer Shabnim Ismail as Sri Lankan, Nilakshi Silva, tried to swing her bat but was bowled out for four. Kapp, on the other hand, took 1 for 15 in her 4 overs. 

For South Africa, chasing a modest 130 runs should have been an easy task, but losing wickets at regular intervals left the Proteas overwhelmed by Sri Lanka's bowling attack.  

Captain, Sune Luus, was the top scoring South African in the game with 28 runs off 27 balls until she was bowled out by Ranaweera while Sinalo Jaftha secured 15 runs off 9 balls.

Following the opening game against Sri Lanka in Cape Town, the Proteas will now have to  turn their attention to crucial group stage games against New Zealand, the current World Number 1’s, Australia as well as Bangladesh before wrapping up the round-robin stage. South Africa will have their work cut out for them with difficult games ahead but, from the start their focus was set to be solely on each game ahead of them as they approached.

The Proteas next game will be against New Zealand on the 13th of February at Newlands in Cape Town.

Kayla Barker/OFM Sport