Proteas Women Inspire A Nation

A Slow Burn That Never Lost Its Flame

South Africa’s involvement in the ICC Women’s World Cup began in 1997, still fresh from the isolation era. It was never an easy road. While men’s cricket was flooded with resources, attention, and national celebration, the women’s team quietly trained, quietly competed, and quietly delivered, often exceeding expectations with a fraction of the support. They have made multiple tournament runs worth remembering, including semi-final appearances in 2000, 2017, and 2022, each one edged with heartbreak, but also layered with progress.

• 2000 (New Zealand): A young, evolving squad shocked many by advancing all the way to the semi-finals, announcing their arrival on the global stage.

• 2017 (England): A generation later, the Proteas Women found themselves again on the brink of a historic semi-final, narrowly falling short, but proving their competitiveness was no longer accidental.

• 2022 (New Zealand): This time, the pressure was different.

  
  

  Now recognised contenders, they powered into the semis again, sparking national excitement and breaking broadcast records for women’s cricket.

Yet despite these achievements, the narrative at home stayed small. Empty stadiums. Limited broadcast slots. And sponsorship that could never quite match the effort being poured out on the field.

Sound familiar?

The Hidden Battle Off the Field

Across South African sport, women have had to fight twice: once against opponents, and once against the system. The Springbok Women’s rugby team has weathered similar storms, despite historic breakthroughs of their own. Globally, women’s sport still battles for equal pay, visibility, and basic respect.

Is it controversial to say women deserve more? Or is it simply the obvious truth we’ve ignored?

For years, budget allocations, developmental structures, coaching pipelines, and tournament marketing have heavily favoured men’s programmes. The result: women’s teams have succeeded in spite of being overlooked.

This imbalance isn’t just institutional, it’s cultural. Girls grow up rarely seeing themselves on TV holding trophies. Young athletes are often told to “dream responsibly.” And when women do win, their success is still labelled surprising, lucky, or niche. Consider women in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM),  in South Africa, women make up only a small percentage of registered engineers. A young woman who chooses this path often faces:

• Classrooms where she’s one of only a few women.

• Subtle (and not-so-subtle) comments suggesting engineering is “too technical” or “not for girls”.

• Limited mentorship, because most senior engineers are male.

• Stereotypes that make her feel she always has to prove she belongs.

  
  

When she does excel, perhaps leading a major infrastructure project or becoming a specialist engineer, people often react with surprise rather than recognition. Her achievements are framed as exceptional instead of normal.

As the fight continues on multiple platforms, South Africa’s women athletes are rewriting that script with permanent ink.

2025: The Year the Proteas Women Changed the Conversation

The 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup will forever be remembered as the tournament where the Proteas Women didn’t just participate, they commanded attention. The ladies played with passion, improved with every game, and held their nerve in high-pressure fixtures. Their unity, talent, and stubborn refusal to bow out quietly electrified the nation.

By the time they reached the final, it was no longer about proving anything, it was about claiming what had always been within their reach.

Their finish in the tournament was more than a cricketing achievement. Although the ladies didn’t win the World Cup final, they once again won our hearts, and raised our expectations for the team.

The Work Isn’t Done

But let’s be clear: success should not have to be the loudspeaker that begs for equality. Support should never be conditional. Women’s sports are not charity cases, they are thrilling, powerful, profitable, emotional, marketable, and absolutely world-class.

South Africa must continue to invest, promote, and protect its women athletes. Not because they have “earned support,” but because they deserve it — just as men do.

A Salute to the Heroes

So to the Proteas Women, congratulations on this extraordinary chapter of making it to the finals.

We hope this moment stands as undeniable proof that women are phenomenal at sport. That you can make history. That you deserve stadiums packed, jerseys sold, journalists writing, and children dreaming.

We’re not asking for space in the spotlight.We’re reminding the world we were always worthy of it.

Here’s to the Proteas Women; may this be the era where recognition finally catches up to excellence. And may every girl who watched you play know:

You can win. You can lead. You can change history.

One truth echoed louder than any cheer: progress is no longer a promise — it’s happening right in front of us.

To the sponsors who invested when belief was still building — thank you. Your support fuels opportunity, visibility, and the growth this sport deserves. To the crowds who dared to show up, painted faces, and stood proudly behind these athletes.

To the broadcasters who gave these matches the spotlight they have earned — visibility matters, and you delivered it. And to the decision-makers in boardrooms who continue to push for resources, funding, and equity — the work happening behind closed doors is opening doors for thousands of young girls. The Proteas Women may not have lifted the trophy, but they’ve lifted the standard. The future is brighter because of them.