Almost a decade on from her first major tournament, the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup in England, Laura Wolvaardt is now leading the Proteas women at a showpiece event, the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales.

Back in 2017 Wolvaardt was just 18 years old, and having made her Proteas debut as a 16-year-old in early 2016, she was still trying to find her feet and even decide if she wanted to choose cricket as her profession.

In that tournament Wolvaardt was already showing her impressive budding talent, scoring 71 against Australia and an unbeaten 48 against Sri Lanka in pool stage games, but after they reached the semifinals they were dumped out by the hosts, who went on to win the title.

Now, nine years later, the Proteas will be aiming to do even better, albeit in the T20 format, and with eight members of their squad having played in that 50-over edition, they have plenty of experience to call upon.

“Coming back to England for a World Cup almost a decade after 2017 is quite crazy. I was still very young during that tournament and just trying to take everything in. Looking back now, I think both myself and the team have grown massively since then,” said Wolvaardt.

“We’ve gained so much experience over the years, not only through World Cups but also through playing consistent international cricket against the best teams in the world.

“The group is more confident, more settled and probably has a much deeper understanding of what it takes to compete and most importantly, win at this level consistently.

“At the same time, I think South African women’s cricket as a whole has grown superbly since 2017. The support around the team and the belief from the public has changed significantly over the years, especially after the success we’ve had in recent tournaments.”

Wolvaardt admitted she would be leaning on that experienced core significantly at the tournament, to try and help them clinch their first major trophy, after making the past three World Cup finals in the T20 and 50-over formats.

“Having eight players in the squad who were part of that 2017 World Cup is definitely valuable for us. Experience counts for a lot in tournaments like these, especially when you come up against pressure situations or difficult moments during the competition,” explained Wolvaardt.

“Players like Suné Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka and Dané van Niekerk have been through so much international cricket and bring a lot of calmness and leadership to the group.

“And then, of course, having Shabnim Ismail back is very exciting for us. Everyone knows the quality and experience she brings. She’s one of the best fast bowlers in the world and someone who can change a game very quickly.

“Beyond her skill, she also brings a level of gees to the group, and I know the team is really happy to have her back in Proteas colours again, to hopefully help us go that one step further and lift the trophy.”

– Additional information from the ICC