The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will see cricket’s top 12 teams travel to England and Wales for a battle for silverware in the shortest format, with South Africa expected to make a big impact.
New Zealand are the reigning champions after triumphing in the United Arab Emirates in 2024, but will face extreme pressure from a number of teams, including an Australian team that was denied a fourth consecutive trophy last time.
A team that will also aim to achieve a better tournament in 2026 is South Africa. The Proteas reached the World Cup final two years ago but faltered against an inspired New Zealand bowling unit who defended a score of 158/5.
While the run to a final, which was the second time they have played in the World Cup final in the last two iterations of the tournament, is impressive, the class of 2026 will look to go one step further.
Ahead of their squad announcement, Bets.co.za has rounded up five players who are expected to play a major role in any attempt to clinch the trophy.
Laura Wolvaardt
South Africa’s captain and top player Laura Wolvaardt is the player to watch for in the 2026 tournament. Her 98 international matches in the T20 format culminated in 2,764 runs at an average of 38.92, including three centuries and 16 fifties in the shortest format.
At just 27 years old, Wolvaardt has continued to prove that she is the right player to build this South African team.
During South Africa’s T20 series against India in April, Wolvaardt bagged the player of the series award. It was no surprise either as the opener smashed her way to 330 runs in five innings at 82.50 and a strike rate of 168.36.
Not content with scoring consistently, Wolvaardt scores with real pace in her innings, while tending to deal with boundaries, hitting 44 fours and eight maximums.
Making vital fast starts in the T20 game, Wolvaardt will be key in South Africa’s battle to ensure they end their run of consecutive silver medals in the biggest event in the women’s T20 game.
She can also finish a third consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup as the leading run-scorer if she achieves the feat again this year.
Sune Luus
As one of South Africa’s most capped players, Sune Luus is an integral part of the Proteas’ starting partnership. Luus’ 143 international caps in the Twenty20 game have seen the first match score 1855 runs at 23:18.
In the recent series against India, Luus scored 197 runs at an average of 49.25. Beating several of India’s best, Luus may have scored 133 runs less than Wolvaardt, but such were the exploits of her captain that no player could keep up.
While Luus is likely to play second fiddle to Wolvaardt when it comes to scoring runs, having a supporting cast of world-class players around their captain will be key to South Africa’s success.
Luus will love his chances of playing a big role in a top South African team that looks very strong and if he can find a way to keep up with Wolvaardt’s goals then South Africa will have a starting partnership that all other teams will fear.
British tazmin
Tazmin Brits, a firm part of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 team of the tournament along with Wolvaardt, returned 187 runs in six innings at 37.40.
Unlike Wolvaardt, the T20 series against India in April did not see her at her best. A total of 64 runs in five innings at 21.33 was not his best performance, but he managed two not out in this period as he put the finishing touches on successful chases in the second and third T20s.
At 35, the Brits are approaching their last chance at World Cup glory and this could be their last chance.
While the Brits were part of the opening pair for South Africa’s World Cup final against New Zealand in 2024, playing at number three in the current team allows them to arrive looking for quick runs in a role that gives them more freedom.
Whether the British arrive early probably depends on Luus’s exploits. Wolvaardt has been so consistent that much of the focus will be on supporting him, something the British have become very adept at.
Nonkululeko Mlaba
After an impressive 3/31 in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup final against New Zealand, Nonkululeko Mlaba will feel she has more to give after almost leading the Proteas to the silver medal.
With 12 wickets in the 2024 tournament, Mlaba was a real problem with his slow left-arm spin fooling several opponents, and at 25 he will likely have several World Cups ahead of him.
While his tally of six wickets in five T20s against India in their recent series is not legendary, he finished with the second-most wickets. Her economy rate of 6.90 allowed Mlaba to keep the Indian batsmen honest, while she was the only player to complete her overs in each match, reducing her entire allocation of 20 overs in all five matches.
Whether used as an early wicket-taking proposition or to make use of a degrading delivery, Mlaba is a vital cog in a South African bowling attack that needs to fire if it is to be the best.
Tumi Sekhukhune
Tumi Sekhukhune brings pace and power to the South African bowling attack. After making his debut in 2018, Sekhukhune has appeared in 44 T20 internationals for his nation and could be key in the World Cup.
His 47 wickets reached an average of 20.44, including taking six Indian wickets in the recent T20 series to equal Mlaba’s output as the second highest wicket-taker in a match less.
Sekhukhune may yet be bowled with the new ball as South Africa look to exploit any form of movement early in matches in England and Wales and may come into his own in the 2026 tournament.