In any global sporting event, it is a tradition for legendary athletes to show support for their country’s team by being present in the stands. Whether it’s cricket or football, regardless of the result, seeing former stars cheering from the gallery has become an unwritten norm. However, during this Women’s World Cup, South Africa was left without this show of support. In the final against India, South Africa’s stars like AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, or any other prominent figures in South African cricket were notably absent.
This lack of support in such a major event angered South African actress, writer, and presenter Thanza Vhur. After Laura Wolvaardt’s team was defeated and left the field with heavy hearts, Vhur aired her grievances in a video. She questioned, “Who was there to support South Africa? Former cricketers who love this country, male cricketers… where were they? Oh, I guess they didn’t consider it a high-profile enough event!”
The Women’s World Cup final took place last Sunday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, where India’s current World Cup-winning captain, Rohit Sharma, and cricketing legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman were all present to cheer for the hosts. Yet, there was no sign of any South African cricket legend.
Vhur expressed her disappointment, stating, “I am truly frustrated that even the Minister of Sport wasn’t present for the final. These women have worked so hard, they were playing well. But how do you feel when no one in the stands is supporting you? Did they assume we were going to lose? Is that the message they sent ahead of time?”
While criticising South African cricket legends for their absence, Vhur did not forget to congratulate the Indian women’s team for their triumph. “India, you’ve won the World Cup. You fully deserve it. You live and breathe cricket… even your breakfast, lunch, and dinner revolve around the game. You are World Cup champions, do you realise that? You earned it.”
The South African women’s team, led by Laura Wolvaardt, fell short by 52 runs against India. After two T20 World Cup defeats, their final at this World Cup ended in bitterness. Naturally, the Proteas players, including Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, and Nadine de Klerk, were devastated. During their time of sorrow, Indian stars like Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, and Player of the Tournament Deepti Sharma came to offer their condolences, attempting to comfort the South African women.
India’s victory marked their first-ever title in a global tournament. Batting first, India posted a formidable total of 298 runs, the second-highest score in Women’s World Cup history. Wolvaardt’s personal century was not enough to carry her team to victory, and in the end, the Proteas were bowled out for 246, handing them a 52-run loss.