• Proteas Women feeling the pressure

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    Proteas Women’s bowling coach Dillon du Preez says the team is feeling the weight of expectation heading into Wednesday’s Women’s ODI World Cup semi-final against England in Guwahati.

    The Proteas Women have developed a strong reputation as knockout-stage regulars, having reached back-to-back T20 World Cup finals in 2023 and 2024, as well as ODI semi-finals in 2017 and 2022. However, they are still searching for their first ICC trophy – and Du Preez acknowledges the pressure that comes with that.

    “There’s always pressure when it comes to knockout games,” Du Preez told SportsBoom.co.za. “You actually learn how to get to a semi-final and learn how to get past it. With the two finals we’ve played, it’s definitely a plus for us. If we can get to this final, it’ll mean a lot.”

    He added that the coaching staff are also feeling the pressure.

    “If I walk around here and kick everything in my room, and the players see that, it’s not helping anyone. So we just try to keep things simple, trust the process that got us here, and not change too much. But yes, there will always be pressure.”

    South Africa face opponents who has been a persistent hurdle. England knocked them out in the semi-finals of the 2017 and 2022 ODI World Cups and inflicted a 10-wicket defeat on them during the round-robin stage of this tournament, dismissing them for just 69.

    The Proteas will be determined to change that narrative when the match gets underway at 11:30am (SA time) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.

    Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images

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    Simon Borchardt