Sinalo Jafta reflects on a historic year for Proteas Women’s cricket

Proteas Women’s wicket-keeper batter Sinalo Jafta reflected fondly on the year the team has had, highlighting the ICC Women’s World Cup final as the standout moment for her and the team as the squad heads into the last fixture of the year this year.

What a year the Proteas Women have had.

It has been a rollercoaster, having been bowled out for 70 odd in their first game of the World Cup, bringing back all the demons and traumas of South African cricket in ICC events, to going on to reach their first ever ODI World Cup final in Navi Mumbai last month.

Both as a team and individuals, there have been standout performances, moments the country will remember for many years to come.

Who can forget Tazmin Brits’ five ODI centuries in a single calendar year, the first Women’s cricketer to achieve the feat in the history of the game?

Or Laura Wolvaardt back-to-back centuries in the semi-final and the final, the second ever Women’s cricketer to achieve the feat after Australia Women’s legend Alyssa Healy?

The team has endured and celebrated the lows and highs as a unit, and Jafta high kites the World Cup final as the standout moment this year.

“I think my highlight, the biggest one, obviously, is walking out in that World Cup final in India. But I think when you look at him coming in, he set the tone very quickly. You guys got to believe it,” Jafta told the media on Thursday.

“I think when you just look at the year, players have just grown stature to stature.“

On Friday, the Proteas Women will play their last fixture of the year during the third and final ODI against Ireland Women at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

The last time Jafta and her teammates took the field at the Bullring was back in 2023.

“I think the last time I played here was against the West Indies, and I still remember just playing and being like, wow, this is absolutely amazing,” said Jafta.

“I think when you come to a stadium like that, one where you've got the grass embankments, you've got the crowd, you have our families coming here, especially to close off the year, what a more better venue to have that.

“I mean, we're going to go out there guns blazing and then just play our best brand of cricket.”

During the ongoing inbound tour of Ireland Women, coach Mandla Mashimbyi has given plenty of opportunities to the fringe players in an attempt to grow the depth of the squad.

The likes of Miane Smit, Faye Tunnicliffe, and Leah Jones to name a few, have made the step up and gotten a taste of international cricket in front of decent crowds here at home this summer.

“I think when you look at the squad that came in, the two different squads, it's been a while since we've had two different squads,” Jafta said.

“I think resting players like Marizanne, Chloé, Aya, Masabata and Nadine, and then bringing in players like Smitty (Miane), you brought in Leah Jones who made her debut in the last game, and Faye Tunnicliffe who's been in and out of the squad.

“It's positive for us to know that we're actually playing with a massive squad. For coach, he said, I just want to see the players, and we've done that. They've picked up their hands, Smitty with a maiden 50, so it's been brilliant.

“I won't speak about the others because they're world class. You've got Laura with 100, you've got Sune with 100, and Danae coming back. I think for the team dynamics, it's been exceptional.

“Coach mentioned, and a lot of players as well, in terms of the aim for this tour, is to really go out there and express ourselves, show intent, regardless of the opposition.”

The third and final ODI is set to get underway from 1pm SAST.