Opening batter Tazmin Brits wants the Proteas Women to seal their T20I series against Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom on Saturday and then make it 3-0.
South Africa are using the series to prepare for the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October.
In the first T20I in Benoni, the Proteas posted 198-5, their second-highest total in the shortest format, with captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring her maiden T20I century (102 off 63 balls).
“Momentum is always good, and with the World Cup coming up in September, it’ll be very good for us if we can maybe do a 3-0 win. If we can look at doing that, that’ll be great for the team,” said Brits.
“We seemed to be losing the first T20I or the first game of every series that we’ve played, so that was one of the things we wanted to correct. That was also with [different] combinations and getting to those points that we were setting, like the powerplay and everything. It was great.”
After scoring 15 off eight balls in Benoni, Brits watched the impressive 116-run partnership between Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp (60 off 40 balls), which anchored the Proteas innings.
“We’ve always looked at, you have to have your in batters [in the end], so that was a big thing for us. Wolvaardt scoring that hundred, that will get you to the 200s at the end of the day so they’re very confident, and they’re looking forward to [Saturday’s] game.”
It will be a memorable occasion for the Klerksdorp-born batter as she is set to earn her 50th T20I cap.
“I’m very happy that my 50th game is here in Potch; my home crowd with my mom and I’ve got a lot of family members also coming. Hopefully not just that, but scoring a fifty will be great as well.
“I never looked that far [ahead], I didn’t think this day would come, but with it being here I’m more excited. I’m hoping I can get a 50th cap in ODIs, I’m a bit behind on that [24 caps], but hopefully, I can do that before I retire.”
Brits said the highlight of her career so far is the Proteas’ semi-final win against England in the 2023 T20 Women’s World Cup, in which she scored 68 off 55 balls.
“I don’t know if I can ever match that, maybe if I can be a Player of the Match in a World Cup final. But just talking about it, I get goosebumps and I relive that entire moment, so hopefully in September I can redo that, but maybe in a final.”
Saturday’s T20I will start at 2pm and be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand (channel 201).
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
