Laura Wolvaardt slams sixth WT20I fifty, completes 1,000 runs
South Africa's opening batter Laura Wolvaardt slammed a crunch 44-ball 53 in the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup semi-final against England on Friday. The right-handed batter slammed five fours and a six before getting out to England spinner Sophie Ecclestone. Wolvaardt, who slammed her sixth WT20I fifty, breached the 1,000-run mark in the format. We decode her stats in WT20Is.
Eighth SA batter with 1,000-plus WT20I runs
Wolvaardt made her debut against Ireland in 2016. She has since amassed 1,018 runs at an average of 29.94. She has slammed six half-centuries, with the best score of 66* (vs Bangladesh). Wolvaardt has become the eighth SA batter with 1,000-plus runs in WT20Is. She joins Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk, Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Trisha Chetty, Sune Luus, and Chloe Tryon.
A historic opening stand!
Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits added 96 runs among themselves. As per Cricbuzz, this was the third 50-plus opening stand for South Africa in the ongoing World Cup, the most by any team so far. As per ESPNcricinfo, it's the joint-second-highest partnership by SA against England in WT20Is, equalling Trisha Chetty and Dane van Niekerk's stand in Paarl in 2016.
Her performance in the 2023 Women's T20 WC
Wolvaardt has aggregated 169 runs across five matches while averaging a stellar 42.25 (SR: 100.59). She clocked her second successive fifty of the tournament. Her scores read 18, 13, 19, 66*, and 53. Overall, Wolvaardt has racked up 279 runs in the Women's T20 WC, averaging 39.85 (50s: 3). She surpassed compatriot Chetty (277) and Australian Lisa Sthalekar (276) in this regard.
How has the match panned out?
SA made a cautious start with 14/0 in four overs. The Proteas played 21 dots in the first 24 deliveries before changing gears. Wolvaardt and Brits dealt in boundaries as SA piloted close to 100. Brits took over as she hammered her seventh WT20I fifty. Kapp's quickfire cameo (27*) got them to a respectable total (164/4). For England, Ecclestone was a huge plus (3/22).
