Pretoria, South Africans have reasons to be proud despite ICC Women’s T20 World Cup defeat to Australia in the final. Australia beat South Africa, otherwise known as the Proteas, in an extraordinary final to claim their incredible sixth title.
The team was led by Dane van Niekerk and featured stars such as Marizanne Kapp, Shabnim Ismail, and Laura Wolvaardt. The South African women’s cricket team has firmly established themselves as one of the top teams in world cricket. The key highlight of this tournament for the Proteas is a thrilling victory over a high-flying England side. This victory propelled them to the top of the ICC rankings and cemented their place as one of the most successful teams in the world.
South Africa hosted a remarkably successful eighth edition of the 2023 T20 World Cup. Over the years, South Africa has shown their capability to host world-class events, and this was no different. Hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in SA creates a fertile ground for equal opportunities for women in sports, more especially,supporting women to participate at the highest level. This is done by providing a platform for talented women to show their skills and gain recognition. The exhilarating atmosphere, full capacity crowd and a superb tournament overall represent a huge step forward for women’s sport in South Africa as a whole.
Historically, women’s sports have been seen as subordinate to men’s sports, with less funding, resources, and recognition. However, this event, which was the first women’s sports event to be hosted in South Africa, has helped to raise the profile of women’s sports in the country. It has also helped to draw attention to the importance of gender equality in sports, and has encouraged more investment in women’s sports initiatives.
This achievement should transcend colonial history and deeply entrenched patriarchy, misogyny and toxic masculinity. Events like these can potentially influence girls and young women who are looking for inspiration and role models to identify with. The inspiration should also extend to women on the African continent who are not part of this global showpiece.
It was an absolute joy for South Africans to witness the Proteas successfully establishing itself as one of the nation’s premier sports, and this tournament has provided a platform for the game to grow even further. With the increasing popularity of the sport, more women have been encouraged to take up the game with the team now boasting some of the world’s most talented players. This has helped create a larger fan base for the game and propelled the sport to the next level.
As the minister in The Presidency put it, “the women’s cricket team achievement is a further demonstration of our resilience as a nation. This shows our ability to compete and win on the world stage”. The extraordinary performance from women cricketers should create hope for the country amid its socio-economic challenges.
This tournament has shown that the nation is capable of becoming a powerhouse in women’s sport. This will undoubtedly have a positive impact on South African women’s sport for years to come.
Author: Kimberley Asah Netshivhale
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