Captain Laura Wolvaardt emphasised the team’s eagerness to begin the Proteas Women’s T20 International (T20I) series against Ireland, with the opening match taking place at the World Sports Betting Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on Friday.
The match will get under way at 2pm (SAST) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand (Ch. 201).
Wolvaardt addressed the media on Thursday, reflecting on the team’s preparations and what they expect from their Irish opposition during the three-match series at home, which will also take the teams to Paarl and Benoni for the second and third T20Is.
With the next ICC Women’s T20 World Cup only a few months away, Wolvaardt acknowledged how quickly the event is approaching.
She expressed satisfaction with the team reaching three consecutive World Cup finals but reaffirmed the need to take the final step.
“It's crazy that it's so soon. It feels like we've just come off the World Cup and there's another one in a few months' time.
“We've been playing some good cricket. Obviously, that final hurdle is still in front of us, three in a row. I think we're doing a lot of things right to keep making those finals. But yeah, I think just playing a good game once we reach that stage again.
“Overall, I think the group's been making some really good strides, and hopefully we can get ourselves another final,” Wolvaardt commented.
Matchday -1! 📸
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) December 4, 2025
The captains wrap up their shoot with the silverware as an #Unbreakable summer gets ready to ignite! 💥
All roads lead to Newlands tomorrow for the first T20I of the series! 🏏 pic.twitter.com/SRdOUSKaJ3
As part of the build-up to the T20 World Cup, Wolvaardt expects a competitive series against Ireland, noting their brand of cricket and the presence of game-changing players such as captain Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast.
“They're a good side. They have a lot of really good individual players. Gaby Lewis has sort of played around the world. I've played a bit with Orla Prendergast as well. She's a really good cricketer. Players like that can sort of take the game away from you.
“We'll have to be spot-on with our plans against some of those big players. It looks like they're a young side playing quite a fearless brand of cricket with the footage that I've seen. We're still going to have to be pretty on it on the day because players like that can take games away from you.”
The Cape Town-born skipper also expressed her and the team’s excitement to play on home soil again, particularly in Cape Town, for the first time since the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, where they secured South Africa’s first-ever World Cup final appearance.
“It's very nice being back in Cape Town, back home. There's no place like home, especially for me, being from Cape Town. It feels super refreshing to be back here.
“Really looking forward to the series, having a home crowd for a change. It was a tough tour in India, having all those people against us in the crowd, so looking forward to some home support.”
“I think Newlands is amazing, so everyone was up and about in training today. It's not every day we get to play here,” she added.
Proteas Women Squad - T20I Series:
Laura Wolvaardt (Captain) (Fidelity Titans), 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), Karabo Meso (DP World Lions), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Seshnie Naidu (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions), Faye Tunnicliffe (World Sports Betting Western Province) and Dané van Niekerk (World Sports Betting Western Province)
FIXTURES
T20I Series
Friday, 5 December - 1st T20I at 2pm: South Africa v Ireland (WSB Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town)
Sunday, 7 December - 2nd T20I at 2pm: South Africa v Ireland (Boland Park, Paarl)
Wednesday, 10 December - 3rd T20I at 6pm: South Africa v Ireland (Willowmoore Park, Benoni)
**All times are SAST