Benoni: As the stage is set for an electrifying T20 International (T20I) series against Sri Lanka, Proteas Women's captain Laura Wolvaardt has laid out her team's ambitions for the upcoming three-match contest, scheduled to thrill fans in Benoni, Potchefstroom, and East London from March 27 to April 3.

The action kicks off on Wednesday, March 27 at Willowmoore Park in Benoni, with the match airing live on SuperSport Grandstand (Channel 201) at 18h00 SAST. Fans can grab tickets either at the stadium or online via TicketPro starting from R40.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the series opener, Wolvaardt emphasized the importance of these T20Is in the lead-up to the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. She remarked, “We don't have much cricket left as a group before the World Cup, so these three T20Is are very important to try different combinations and to finalize the starting XI that we'd like to have for the World Cup.”

Despite South Africa's impressive track record against Sri Lanka in T20Is, with 10 wins out of 14 matches, the Proteas faced a narrow three-run defeat the last time these two teams met in the T20 World Cup in February 2023. Acknowledging Sri Lanka's recent form, Wolvaardt commented, “It’s not a series that we're taking lightly at all. Sri Lanka has been very good in the past couple of months, beating England as well in the T20I series, so we're going to be looking to start strong on the front foot.”

After a challenging series in Australia, Wolvaardt is optimistic about her form, having rediscovered her rhythm during the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in India earlier this month. She shared, “I didn't have my best series in Australia, especially in the ODIs and the Test match, but I was able to have one or two good knocks in the WPL, so I was very grateful to get a few games over there and just to have fun and enjoy the experience.”

Looking ahead to the series, Wolvaardt expressed excitement about former captain Suné Luus potentially breaking the T20I caps record for Proteas Women. She noted, “She's been a part of the side for probably as long as anyone can remember and has been performing well with the bat lately. Having captained the side in the past, having that experience and having that many T20Is, helps a lot.”

The upcoming T20I series promises to be a thrilling spectacle as both teams prepare to showcase their skills and stake their claim in the lead-up to the highly anticipated 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Proteas Women Squad (T20I Only) - Inbound Tour against Sri Lanka
Laura Wolvaardt (Fidelity Titans, Captain), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (World Sports Betting Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Karabo Meso* (DP World Lions), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions)

Fixtures - South Africa Inbound Tour vs Sri Lanka 2023/24

T20 International Series:

Wednesday, 27 March @ 18h00: 1st T20I - South Africa vs Sri Lanka (Willowmoore Park, Benoni)
Saturday, 30 March @ 14h00: 2nd T20I - South Africa vs Sri Lanka (JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom)
Wednesday, 03 April @ 18h00: 3rd T20I - South Africa vs Sri Lanka (Buffalo Park, East London)
50-over Warm-Up Match:

Saturday, 06 April @ 10h00: South Africa XI vs Sri Lanka XI (Buffalo Park, East London)
One-Day International Series - ICC Women’s Championship:

Tuesday, 09 April @ 14h00: 1st ODI - South Africa vs Sri Lanka (Buffalo Park, East London)
Saturday, 13 April @ 14h00: 2nd ODI - South Africa vs Sri Lanka (Diamond Oval, Kimberley)
Wednesday, 17 April @ 14h00: 3rd ODI - South Africa vs Sri Lanka (JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom)

Photo: Gallo
[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]