In a thrilling turnaround, the South Africa Women’s cricket team has leveled the three-match series against Bangladesh Women with a convincing 8-wicket victory. The series now stands at 1-1, setting the stage for a decisive third ODI.
Bangladesh’s Fargana Hoque emerged as the top run-scorer for her team in the ODI series, accumulating an impressive 137 runs. Fahima Khatun claimed the title of the top wicket-taker for Bangladesh with three crucial wickets.
On the South African side, Anneke Bosch led the batting charts with 81 runs, while Marizanne Kapp was the top wicket-taker with two scalps.
The second ODI witnessed Bangladesh setting a target of 222 for 4 in 50 overs. Fargana Hoque played a pivotal role, scoring 102 runs off 167 balls, supported by Fahima Khatun’s valuable 46 runs. In response, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits provided an outstanding start, contributing 106 runs for the first wicket. Anneke Bosch (65 runs) and Sune Luus (47 runs) then guided South Africa Women to victory.
In an exclusive interview with NewsX, Yolandi van der Westhuizen, a former South African cricketer and three-time World Cup player, shared her experiences, reflecting on the challenges she faced, including being dismissed while batting at the age of 14. Yolandi’s journey resonates with the early struggles of Indian cricket legend Jhulan Goswami.
Yolandi, now coaching girls at Boland, emphasized the need for more focus on grassroots-level development despite the progress made with stadiums and central contracts. Her story mirrors the classic narrative of women’s cricket from the early 2000s, where passion for the game prevailed over corporate career aspirations.
Not just a trailblazing cricketer, Yolandi van der Westhuizen has become the first woman to coach the Boland women’s team, breaking down barriers for women in coaching.