VISAKHAPATNAM: Seamer Tumi Sekhukhune has emphasised the Proteas Women’s focus ahead of their fourth ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 encounter against Bangladesh in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
The contest will get underway at 15h00 local time (11h30 SAST) at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium and will be broadcast live on SuperSport Cricket (Ch. 212).
South Africa bounced back emphatically from their opening defeat to England, securing crucial victories over New Zealand and hosts India to climb into the semi-final positions with four matches remaining in the league phase.
Speaking ahead of the important clash against the Tigresses, Sekhukhune made it clear that despite the positive atmosphere in the Proteas camp following their recent performances, the team remains grounded and fully determined to face the challenges ahead.
“The team is super excited. We’re looking forward to all these other games. We take the win (against India), but we don’t want to dwell on the win; we want to focus on the other matches, as they are as important as the ones that we played,” she noted.
When it comes to the head-to-head record between the two sides, South Africa have won 18 of their 21 encounters against Bangladesh, including a 2–1 One-Day International series victory during the Tigresses’ last white-ball tour to South Africa in December 2023.
Looking ahead to the upcoming match, Sekhukhune acknowledged the threat posed by Bangladesh, particularly in subcontinental conditions.
“It’s going to be a very tough game for us against Bangladesh. We know that they’re going to come with more slow bowlers, typically the spinners. We said as a team that we want to take it one step at a time, one ball at a time. We just want to keep ticking all the boxes that we know we didn’t do well in the previous games.
“If we do that, then hopefully we’ll come out on the better side,” the right-arm pace bowler added.
Sekhukhune featured for the first time in this year’s World Cup during South Africa’s dramatic win over India, returning figures of one for 27 in seven overs, finishing as the side’s second-most economical bowler behind Chloé Tryon’s return of three for 32 from 10 overs.
Reflecting on her role within the bowling attack, the 26-year-old praised the strength and experience of her teammates, highlighting how it allows her to bowl to her strengths.
“It’s very nice to play with such exceptional bowlers. They have so much experience. With me coming in, I just want to restrict the runs. I don’t want to focus much on getting wickets. I just want to come in, do what I can do, and be consistent in bowling my lines and lengths.
“And yeah, if I do pick up wickets here and there, then it’s a win for me, but mostly it’s to restrict the runs,” she concluded.
Proteas Women Squad – ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 & Pakistan Tour
Laura Wolvaardt (Captain) (Fidelity Titans), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (DP World Lions), Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (World Sports Betting Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Karabo Meso (DP World Lions), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), and Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions)
Travelling Reserve
Miané Smit (Fidelity Titans)
Fixtures – ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
Thursday, 09 October at 11h30 – South Africa vs India (ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam)
Friday, 17 October at 11h30 – South Africa vs Sri Lanka (R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo)
Tuesday, 21 October at 11h30 – South Africa vs Pakistan (R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo)
Saturday, 25 October at 11h30 – South Africa vs Australia (Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore)
Wednesday, 29 October at 11h30 – Semi-final 1 (TBC)
Thursday, 30 October at 11h30 – Semi-final 2 (Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai)
Sunday, 02 November at 11h30 – Final (TBC)
**All times are SAST
Source: cricket.co.za
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