It was February 2016 when a tall 16-year-old schoolgirl from Cape Town walked out to bat for South Africa for the first time at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. A decade later, Laura Wolvaardt returns to that very ground as the world’s number one ODI batter, Proteas Women captain, and one of the most accomplished cricketers South Africa has ever produced.
“It’s crazy. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years already. I still remember being a 16-year-old making my debut here in Benoni. I was just happy to get a game, let alone playing for 10 years for my country.” the 26-year-old reflected ahead of the fixture.
SA Women’s All Formats Cricket Captain, Laura Wolvaardt
Wolvaardt will lead South Africa against Pakistan in the second T20 International at the Ekurhuleni venue on Friday, with the hosts holding a 1-0 series lead after a thrilling five-wicket victory in Potchefstroom. It is a homecoming of sorts for the 26-year-old, whose international debut against England on 7 February 2016 set in motion what has become one of the great careers in women’s cricket.
In August 2016, just six months after that debut in Benoni, she announced herself on the world stage with a maiden international century, a sublime 105 off 125 balls against Ireland at Malahide in Dublin. That innings, featuring 14 boundaries and a commanding 192-run opening partnership with Trisha Chetty, offered the first real glimpse of the extraordinary talent that lay ahead.
The numbers since tell an impressive story. More than 212 international appearances. Over 8,000 runs across all formats. Two World Cup finals as captain, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024, followed by South Africa’s historic maiden appearance in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final in India last year, where Wolvaardt’s 571 runs in the tournament cemented her status as the premier batter in the women’s game.
Reflecting on the milestone ahead of Friday’s match, Wolvaardt spoke with characteristic humility.
“As a 16-year-old, I didn’t have much power, kind of just had a cover drive, and was pretty one-dimensional and batted pretty slow. I don’t quite know if I was ready for international cricket at that stage yet.”
I’ve worked on quite a lot of areas of my game, opening a lot of spaces on the field, getting a bit stronger, working on my power hitting. I really like the way it’s evolved, and I think there’s still so much more room for improvement in the next ten years, which is exciting.” the right-hander added.
Since being appointed permanent skipper in December 2023, Wolvaardt has spoken openly about how leadership has transformed her understanding of the game. Where she once focused solely on her own batting, she now immerses herself in conditions, bowling strategies, and opposition analysis.
That duality has been central to her sustained excellence. Her contributions with both bat and ball in the series opener against Pakistan underscored the point, while all-rounder Kayla Reyneke’s dream debut and Ayanda Hlubi’s all-round impact demonstrated the depth Wolvaardt is building around her.
With the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup in England on the horizon, the Proteas Women skipper has her sights firmly set on the prize that has so far eluded her. She has come agonisingly close on three occasions and believes the next decade offers plenty more opportunities to realise her ultimate ambition.
For now, the immediate focus is – weather permitting, Benoni, the ground where it all started, and where the next chapter of an already remarkable story continues to be written.
Main Photo Caption: A decade after a 16-year-old schoolgirl from Cape Town walked out to bat for South Africa for the first time at Willowmoore Park in Benoni, SA cricket phenomenon Laura Wolvaardt returns to that very same ground as the world’s number one ODI batter, Proteas Women captain, and one of the most accomplished cricketers South Africa has ever produced. File Photo: Cricket South Africa
