Women’s World Cup 2025: Laura Wolvaardt—Leading South Africa’s rise from rock bottom
Among the many attributes that define a captain, perhaps the most crucial is the ability to keep the team spirit alive when everything seems lost. For South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, that challenge arrived right at the start of the Women’s World Cup 2025.
In its tournament opener, South Africa was bamboozled by England’s menacing spin attack, bowled out for just 69 — its third-lowest One-Day International total. It was a bruising defeat, one that could easily have crushed morale and momentum.
But from the ashes of that collapse emerged one of the most remarkable turnarounds of the tournament.
Rebuilding belief
Four consecutive wins later, South Africa sits comfortably in second place on the points table, with a semifinal berth all but sealed. The transformation has been driven not just by individual brilliance, but also by the calm conviction of its 26-year-old leader.
“After that game, we just kind of said to ourselves that we know we’re a lot better than that. We wanted to forget about it as quickly as we could. In these tournaments, you have to have a short memory with things like that,” Wolvaardt said after her match-winning knock against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.
“You have to take your learnings, maybe think about what you could have done better, but then totally switch off from it and focus on the next game, which I think we’ve done really well in this competition so far.”
It’s one thing to speak of moving on; it’s another to make a team believe it. Wolvaardt has done both with quiet assurance.
The numbers tell their own story — among South African captains who have led the team in more than 25 ODIs, she boasts the third-best win percentage (54.05), behind only Dane van Niekerk (58) and Sune Luus (55.88).
Her journey to this point wasn’t quite straightforward. Wolvaardt was just 21 when she first took charge, stepping in for Luus, who had fallen ill during the India series in March 2021. South Africa won both matches, with Wolvaardt contributing with a vital half-century in the second game to seal the series.
Her next opportunity to lead wouldn’t come until late 2023, when she led the team to successive series wins over Pakistan and New Zealand. Those results were enough to earn her the captaincy permanently at just 24. The ensuing two years have showcased her evolution not just as a batter but also as a leader.
Leadership in quiet tones
There have been ups and downs, and also moments that have pierced through her emotional armour. One such moment came in South Africa’s tense win over India last week in Visakhapatnam, when Nadine de Klerk produced an unforgettable late blitz to pull the team out of trouble.
“It was incredible. I don’t think I have seen something like that all my career. That was a special innings. I am still at a loss for words,” Wolvaardt exclaimed afterwards. “We wanted to take the game deep and needed something special,” she admitted.
In the next game, De Klerk delivered again in another tight chase against Bangladesh.
If that showcased the batting grit under her leadership, the match against Sri Lanka revealed Wolvaardt’s tactical courage. With her death bowlers exhausted and eight overs left in a rain-reduced 20-over contest, she turned to an unconventional option — spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.
“She was confident. Lefty loves a challenge,” Wolvaardt said. “I asked her the other day what her favourite phase to bowl was, and she said, probably the death. She said she really likes it when the batters come at her. It challenges her and gets her into a very competitive zone.”
The gamble worked. Mlaba bowled a stunning final over, taking three wickets, including a run-out, to leave South Africa with a simple chase.
Pieces falling into place
For Wolvaardt, such moments of shared responsibility underline the essence of a thriving team.
“It sort of felt like the whole team has contributed at different parts in this tournament. We definitely haven’t relied on one or two people, whether it’s Nadine and Chloe (Tryon) getting us out of a hole or me and Taz (Tazmin Brits) batting well today (against Sri Lanka),” Wolvaardt, who scored her second fifty of the tournament, said.
“The whole bowling unit has been amazing, and our fielding has been pretty decent throughout the tournament. It’s just nice to see all those pieces of the puzzle sort of coming together,” she said.
Yet, even as the wins pile up, Wolvaardt refuses to settle. “We’re still searching for that perfect game as a team. We’re still winning even though certain things aren’t perfect. But it’s been a great tournament, and everyone has been involved and put in big performances.”
With a gritty Pakistan up next and a heavyweight clash against Australia to close the league stage, tougher tests await. But Wolvaardt’s calm stewardship and the Proteas’ newfound unity suggest they’re ready for whatever comes next.
Published on Oct 18, 2025
