5 South African cricket stars are set to make waves at the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup in England and Wales, as they aim to clinch the trophy and break their silver medal streak.
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The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will see the top 12 teams in cricket travel to England and Wales for a battle for silverware in the shortest format – and South Africa are predicted for a big impact.
New Zealand are the reigning champions after triumphing in the UAE in 2024, but they will face extreme pressure from a range of teams including an Australian side that were denied a fourth consecutive trophy last time out.
One side that will also target a better tournament in 2026 is South Africa. The Proteas charged to the World Cup final two years ago, but they came unstuck against an inspired New Zealand bowling unit that defended a score of 158/5.
While a run to a final, which was the second time they have played in the World Cup final across the last two iterations of the tournament, is impressive, the class of 2026 will bid to go one better.
Ahead of their squad announcement, Bets.co.za have brought together five players expected to play a big part in any attempt at finally clinching the trophy.
South Africa’s captain and best player Laura Wolvaardt is the player to keep your eye on at the tournament in 2026. Her 98 caps in the T20 format have culminated in 2764 runs at an average of 38.92 including three centuries and 16 fifties in the shortest format.
At only 27, Wolvaardt has continued to prove that she is the player to build this South African side around.
Across South Africa’s T20 series against India in April, Wolvaardt took the player of the series award. It was little wonder too, with the opener hammering her way to 330 runs in five innings at 82.50 with a strike rate of 168.36.
Not content with consistently scoring, Wolvaardt scores with a real pace to her innings, while she tends to deal in boundaries, scoring 44 fours and eight maximums.
With quick starts vital in the T20 game, Wolvaardt will be key in South Africa’s battle to ensure they end their run of consecutive silver medals at the biggest event in the women’s T20 game.
She can also finish a third consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup as the top run scorer if she achieves the feat again this year.
As one of South Africa Women’s most capped players, Sune Luus is an integral part of the Proteas’ opening partnership. Luus’ 143 caps in the Twenty20 game have seen the opener notch 1855 runs at 23.18.
Across the recent series against India, Luus scored 197 runs at an average 49.25. Outscoring a range of India’s best, Luus may have scored 133 less runs than Wolvaardt, but such were the exploits of her captain that no player could keep up.
While Luus is likely to play second-fiddle to Wolvaardt when it comes to run scoring, having a supporting cast of world class players around their captain will be key to South Africa’s success.
Luus will fancy her chances of playing an important role in a South African top order that looks very strong and if she can find a way to keep up with Wolvaardt’s scoring, then South Africa will boast an opening partnership that every other team will fear.
A firm part of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup team of the tournament alongside Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits returned 187 runs in six innings at 37.40.
Unlike Wolvaardt, the T20 series against India in April did not see her at her best. A total 64 runs in five innings at 21.33 was not her greatest showing, but she did collect two not outs in this time as she provided the finishing touches to successful chases in the second and third T20s.
At 35-years-old, Brits is edging towards her final chance at World Cup glory and this could be her last chance.
While Brits made up part of South Africa’s World Cup final opening pair against New Zealand in 2024, playing at number three in the current side allows Brits to arrive looking for quick runs in a role that provides more freedom.
Whether Brits comes in early likely depends on Luus’ exploits. Wolvaardt has been so consistent that much of the focus will be on providing her with support, which is something Brits has become very adept at doing.
On the back of a stunning 3/31 in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup final against New Zealand, Nonkululeko Mlaba will feel she has more to give after almost leading the Proteas to silverware.
With 12 wickets coming across the tournament in 2024, Mlaba was a real handful with her slow left-arm spin bamboozling several opponents – and at 25-years-old she will likely have several World Cups ahead of her.
While her tally of six wickets in five T20s against India in their recent series is hardly the stuff of legend, she did end with the second most wickets. Her economy rate of 6.90 saw Mlaba keep India’s batters honest, while she was the only bowler to complete her overs in every single match, sending down her full allocation of 20 overs across the five matches.
Whether she is utilised as an early wicket-taking proposition or to make use of a degrading pitch, Mlaba is a vital cog in a South African bowling attack that needs to fire if they are to be the best.
Tumi Sekhukhune brings pace and power to the South African bowling attack. After making her debut back in 2018, Sekhukhune has appeared in 44 international T20s for her nation and could be key at the World Cup.
Her 47 wickets have come at an average of 20.44, including knocking over six Indian wickets in the recent T20 series to match Mlaba’s output as the second highest wicket-taker in one less match.
Sekhukhune may yet be thrown the new ball as South Africa look to exploit any form of movement early in the matches in England and Wales and she may come into her own at the tournament in 2026.