Navi Mumbai, Nov 2: South Africa's captain, Laura Wolvaardt, expressed immense pride in her team's performance during the ICC Women's World Cup. Despite their loss to India in the final match on Sunday
(November 2), she promised that the team would come back stronger.
India set a target of 299 in 50 overs and then bowled out South Africa for 246 in 46.5 overs, securing a 52-run victory and their first world title.
Wolvaardt was the standout performer for South Africa, scoring a brilliant century that kept her team's hopes alive until her dismissal. "I could not be prouder of this team for the campaign we had. Brilliant cricket throughout but outplayed today by India. Unfortunate to be on the losing side but we will definitely grow from this," Wolvaardt stated at the presentation ceremony.
South Africa's Resilience and Comeback
South Africa made a remarkable recovery after being bowled out for just 69 against England at the start of the tournament. Reflecting on their comeback from poor performances against England and Australia, Wolvaardt said, "We did so well to put those couple of bad games behind us. We were either really good or really bad, but thankfully more of the really good. Amazing tournament for a lot of the players, and proud of the resilience we showed. "
The captain also excelled as the team's leading batter, balancing her batting duties with leadership responsibilities effectively. She admitted to struggling earlier in the year but managed to separate her roles as a player and captain, which helped her play more freely.
Strategic Decisions and Praise for Players
Defending her decision to bowl first, Wolvaardt explained that they anticipated more swing from the pitch. "We were hoping for a little bit more swing. There was still something in it, so still feel it was the right call to bowl. We were in it for a lot of the chase but lost too many wickets," she said. Despite losing wickets, she believed they were capable of chasing India's total.
Wolvaardt praised India's Shafali Verma and South Africa's Marizanne Kapp for their outstanding performances. "She Shafali batted excellently. That is the way she plays. When it comes off, she can really hurt teams," Wolvaardt remarked about Verma's aggressive batting style.
Speaking about Kapp, Wolvaardt said, "She has been phenomenal for so many editions. Really sad it is going to be her last one. Whole group wanted to win it for her. She is two players in one and very happy she is on our team. " Kapp's contributions have been invaluable to South Africa over several tournaments.
Despite not winning the title, South Africa's journey showcased their determination and skill. The team aims to build on this experience and return stronger in future competitions.
With inputs from PTI
