An in-depth look at South Africa, the dark horses who could just spring a surprise at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup
T20 World Cup preview: South Africa
The squad: Dane Van Niekerk (c), Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee, Mignon Du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon (vc), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune, Trisha Chetty, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Nadine De Klerk, Nondumiso Shangase
ICC T20 ranking: 6th
Form line (most recent first): LWLLWLLLW
The 2018 result: Third in Group A
Best finish: Semi-finalist (2014)
The big question: Can a South African squad with no shortage of exciting T20 talent bring it all together as a team? Just a look at the names tell you this is a squad worth watching: captain Dane van Niekerk is a seasoned competitor, talented T20 batter and skilled leg-spinner; quicks Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail bring serious heat with the ball, and then there’s the batting of Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee, Mognon Du Preez and Chloe Tryon. Problem is, they’ve never brought it all together at an ICC tournament. There has never been a better time, though, given the sheer amount of talent in their squad.
Player to watch: Marizanne Kapp is a familiar face for Australian fans, having played every edition of the Rebel WBBL to date with the Sydney Sixers. There are few fiercer competitors than the fiery quick, whose skills in the power play and at the death will be crucial for the Proteas. She also appears to have found an extra gear in her batting of late – which given her aggressive approach could be very handy for South Africa when seeking a late-innings injection.
The X-Factor: Chloe Tryon can hit a longer ball than most others in the game. Fans of the Hobart Hurricanes saw that on several occasions during the recent WBBL season – where she struck at an impressive 178 batting down the order – and more recently, the powerful right-hander showed off her credentials as a finisher against New Zealand, striking 34no from just 16 balls to steal an unlikely victory.
Don't be surprised if: The Proteas make a serious push for the final, if not the title. They failed to make the semi-finals of the last two tournaments but their current squad is stacked with talent, while a visit to Australia is no daunting prospect given eight of their 15-player squad have appeared in the Big Bash.
The overall numbers
Team record: Matches: 107 | Won: 46 | Lost: 57 | Tied: 0 | NR: 2
Highest total: 1-205 v Netherlands, Potchefstroom 2010
Lowest total: 8-64 v Pakistan, Doha 2014
The fixtures
February 23 v England, WACA Ground, 10pm AEDT
February 28 v Thailand, Manuka Oval, 3pm AEDT
March 1 v Pakistan, Sydney Showgrounds, 3pm AEDT
March 3 v West Indies, Sydney Showgrounds, 7pm AEDT