The Proteas Women will be entering the final stretch of their preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup when they host India in a five-game T20 Series at home before the big one in England and Wales in June.
The two sides will kick things off on Friday, when they meet at the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban, with the second game set to be played at the same venue on Sunday.
They will then head to Johannesburg for back-to-back matches at the Wanderers Stadium for the third and fourth T20, before wrapping the series up in Benoni on April 27.
South Africa head into this series at the back of a rather disappointing New Zealand Tour, where they lost both the T20 and ODI series. So, coach Mandla Mashimbyi and his side will be looking to react positively on home soil and end their World Cup preparations on a high.
“The focus is just to keep the girls upbeat and make sure we emphasise that losing a series doesn’t make us a bad team,” Mashimbyi said.
“I think when you’re a team, and you realise where you’ve gone wrong, and it’s not things that you haven’t done before. Normally, where the gaps are is probably a little bit of a concentration thing or an awareness thing, and it costs you dearly.
“I think the whole series was the case with us. That’s probably what we need to make sure that we leave no stone unturned against India.”
The Proteas and India are also in the same group in the World Cup alongside Australia and Pakistan. South Africa has established itself as a powerhouse in the T20 competition and will be hoping to be third-time lucky this year, after falling short in the final back-to-back.
Meanwhile, Proteas seamer Ayabonga Khaka has jumped to number 12 in the latest ICC world bowling ranking.
Khaka was the leading wicket-taker, where the 33-year-old took nine wickets in three matches, including career-best figures of 6-56 in the second ODI in Christchurch
- The Proteas Women will host India for a five-game T20 series at home.
- This series serves as the final preparation before the T20 World Cup.
- The upcoming T20 World Cup will be held in England and Wales.
- The series and the World Cup are scheduled for June.
- Full details are available in the Sunday World e-edition.
