South Africa Women’s Cricket Team Prepares for Opener Against England

Guwahati, India – The Proteas Women’s cricket team is excited to start their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 campaign with a match against England on Friday. The match will take place at the ACA Stadium at 15:00 local time (11:30 SAST) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand (Ch. 201).

In a pre-match press conference, South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt shared her enthusiasm about the opening game against England, a familiar rival. “Very excited to get going. England are a very strong side, but we really enjoy playing against them in World Cups,” Wolvaardt said.

South Africa has faced defeats against England in the semi-finals of the past two World Cups. Despite this, Wolvaardt expressed confidence in her team’s ability to make a strong start. “We’re keen to get a good start against them. Being able to beat a team like that early on really sets the tone for the competition,” she said.

Wolvaardt acknowledged England’s strong history in the tournament but emphasized her team’s recent impressive performances. “If we play our best cricket, we can beat any side in the world,” she stated. “We’ve been batting really well and bowling better and better.”

Weather conditions may pose challenges, with rain predicted during the match. Wolvaardt addressed the need for flexibility. “The (weather) apps are quite unpredictable. We’ll just have to be able to adapt in the game and to whatever comes at us,” she explained.

This World Cup is expected to draw significant attention, with over 22,000 fans attending the opening match. Wolvaardt highlighted the growth of the women’s game and the importance of this tournament. “Hopefully very big for the game,” she concluded. “It feels like the pinnacle of all of that, having a massive World Cup in India where the game has absolutely blown up.”