Exclusive: Laura Wolvaardt Welcomes Much-Needed Tri-Series Game Time Before ODI World Cup

Proteas Women's captain, Laura Wolvaardt, has reiterated her team's excitement for the upcoming Tri-Series against hosts Sri Lanka and India next month as they are set to play their first competitive fixtures as a team since December 2024. 

The importance of game-time ahead of WC

With the One Day International Tri-Series between South Africa Women, India Women and hosts Sri Lanka Women looming, SA Women captain Laura Wolvaardt revealed that her troops will be getting together in camp from Saturday, 6th April.

This will be the first time the full-strength squad will be getting together this year as Wolvaardt and new coach Mandla Mashimbyi will be looking to sharpen their plans for the Tri-Series and the ODI World Cup in India later this year.

Understanding the importance of playing competitive cricket as much as possible in a World Cup year, Wolvaardt expressed relief that the Tri-Series has been confirmed, given that they have not played together as a team since December 2024.

"We're heading into another camp on the 6th, quite a long camp for prep for India. I'm really glad that this tour actually materialised," Wolvaardt told SportsBoom.co.za. 

"I think at first it wasn't really on the card, so yeah, it would have been way too big of a gap without any international cricket." 

"So I'm really happy that this tour is actually happening. It'll be an awesome tri-series with some good quality game time for us. I'm really looking forward to it."

Plans for subcontinent conditions

Wolvaardt and her team have toured the subcontinent multiple times over the last couple of years, and given that they are set to tour another subcontinental country in Sri Lanka next month, it should help them get their plans in order for the World Cup in India.

Thus far, Wolvaardt has identified their ability to rotate strike against spin as key for success in the subcontinent.

"We need to spend as much time there as we can, which it looks like we will. We've (already) spent quite a bit of time there recently with Pakistan, and then the T20 World Cup was in Dubai, and now we have Sri Lanka. West Indies is pretty subcontinent-ish as well, and we're heading over there (in June-July 2025)," said Wolvaardt.

"The wickets we get there (in India) for One-Day cricket are pretty good for batting. I think blueprint-wise, being able to rotate strike against spin in the middle will be key."

"I think a lot of teams will try to throw a lot of spin at us and really try to control those middle overs. And I think we'll just need to make sure that we're able to go at a decent rate against those spinners and be proactive."

Women's Premier League

Wolvaardt spent March competing in the Women's Premier League (WPL) in India, playing with and against the world's best cricketers.

It was her third season in the tournament and the 25-year-old told SportsBoom that the tournament has had a great impact in accelerating the talented Indian youngsters and the overseas players alike.

"WPL was great. I think it's an amazing tournament to be a part of. The hype and the vibe around women's cricket in India is absolutely incredible. To have sold out games almost every night and to play in front of packed crowds and to have people absolutely crazy about cricket is awesome," said Wolvaardt.

"I think the level of cricket in the Indian players has really increased, especially within the wider squad of players, which has been awesome to see young players that were in my side in the first season we had no experience at the time were really get a lot better at this skill and a lot more confident."

"So, it's (the WPL) opened up a lot of doors for those players and a lot of opportunities. There are so many different players popping up left, right and center just with them being able to play all of these high-quality games. And I think definitely the quality was better in the third season than it was in the first season with domestic players."