Laura Wolvaardt, captain of the Proteas women’s team, expressed her delight over the relocation of the women's T20 World Cup from Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to Wolvaardt, the change will significantly benefit her team, as the playing conditions in the UAE are expected to feature harder and faster pitches compared to the slower ones typically found in the subcontinent.
The tournament, scheduled to commence next month, was shifted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to ongoing political instability in Bangladesh. ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice acknowledged the efforts made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board to find alternative solutions but noted that travel advisories from participating teams made it impractical to hold the event there. He also confirmed that Bangladesh would retain its hosting rights for future events.
While Wolvaardt refrained from expressing overt excitement about the batting conditions in the UAE, she highlighted how the venue change aligns with her team's strengths. "We were initially preparing for the slower, low conditions of the subcontinent, but now we're returning to something that plays to our strengths," she stated in an interview with SportsBoom.com. She also mentioned the team's comprehensive preparations, noting the valuable game time gained from participating in The Hundred league, as well as focused training sessions in Durban.
On Wednesday, the Proteas women's squad for the T20 World Cup was announced without any major surprises.
Proteas Women’s squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Suné Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon.