Proteas men's captain Temba Bavuma has sent a rousing message to the Proteas Women ahead of their high-stakes ICC World Cup semifinal against historical rivals England, urging the team to stick to their plan and seize the opportunity to "be part of history." Catch the action live on SuperSport tomorrow at 11:30am.
As the Proteas Women prepare for their highly anticipated ICC Women’s World Cup semifinal match against England tomorrow, (29 October), Proteas men's captain Temba Bavuma has thrown his full support behind the team, urging them to focus on legacy and execution.
The game, which takes place at the Barsapara Stadium at 11:30am (SAST), will be shown live on SuperSport, on Channel SS Cricket and SS GrandStand.
Should the Proteas defeat England tomorrow, they will secure a place in the ICC Women’s World Cup Final, something the team has never managed to do before.
Bavuma says going all the way and winning the World Cup will represent a momentous occasion for South African sport.
“I think it would add so much to South Africa’s story, both from a cricketing and sporting point of view,” said Bavuma .
“As a country, we’ve really been doing well, and seeing the women reach that point would only strengthen our legacy.”
“It would show again that we are truly champions of the world. There’s no pressure on the ladies, we’ll be right behind them, supporting them all the way. We just want them to be part of history.”
The Protea Women have navigated a rollercoaster campaign to reach the knockout stages, often displaying sublime form with bat and ball.
However, their journey was punctuated by two crushing defeats, the first of which came at the hands of their semifinal opponents, England, in the tournament’s opening game.
Adding historical weight to the encounter, England have also been responsible for eliminating the Proteas Women from a previous World Cup.
🏴 England
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🇿🇦 South Africa
🇮🇳 India
🇦🇺 Australia
Four teams locked in for the #CWC25 semi-finals 🔐#SSCricket | #HereForHer pic.twitter.com/hwKXx1Q57Y
Despite the challenging moments, Bavuma remains confident in the squad's performance and spirit.
“I’m super proud. I think the ladies have had a really good run to get to this stage of the tournament—the knockout stages,” he said.
“Now it’s the business end of the campaign, where everything counts. I’m sure they’ll go into the game with a lot of confidence.”
“Yes, they had a tough encounter with England earlier on, but that means nothing when it comes to the playoffs.”
“We’ll be supporting them all the way, Laura Wolvaardt and the rest of the team. Hopefully, they’ll be able to perform close to their best come Wednesday.”
Drawing on his own experience leading the men's national team through high-pressure situations, Bavuma offered crucial advice on maintaining focus and consistency for the historic semifinal.
“I think in a World Cup campaign, you’re never going to be at your best all the time—there’s almost a science to losing, and sometimes that makes sense,” the captain explained.
“From a captain’s point of view, the key is motivating the players to perform as close to their best as possible.”
“By now, everyone knows their role within the team, and it’s about executing that to the best of their ability, regardless of the opponent or the occasion.”
He stressed the importance of trusting their established processes.
“Nothing really changes from that perspective; you don’t want to start doing things differently.”
“I know there’ll be a lot of us supporting the ladies and sending messages, but it’s also important that the team stays focused and keeps things controlled internally. The ladies just need to continue doing what they’ve been doing.”
Bavuma singled out opener Laura Wolvaardt for her inspiring performances throughout the tournament.
“Laura Wolvaardt has been incredible. She’s winning games and giving us memories of Marizanne Kapp from when we were growing up,” he said.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for her, and she’s handled it really well at the top.”
“It always helps when the captain is leading from the front. There are also other players who’ve stepped up and made big contributions.”
Catch the mouthwatering semifinal between England and the Protea’s live on SuperSport tomorrow (29 October) at 11:30am.
