Mandla Mashimbyi credits united front approach for Proteas Women World Cup final run

The national team will be playing in their first ever senior 50-over World Cup after beating four-time champions England in the semi-finals and will now have a chance to make history on Sunday when they take on co-hosts India in the decider.

Mashimbyi, who was appointed to the role only less than a year ago in November 2024, says he noticed the team wasn’t exactly pulling in the same direction when he came in.

"When I came into the job, the one thing that I picked up was probably the division that was within the team, not necessarily in a malice way but I just thought maybe we could be better in making sure that we are more of a united front as a team,”  Mashimbyi said.

“Also, certain skills with certain players that I felt needed to improve for us to actually come here and become a force."

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Mashimbyi has always emphasised the importance of taking care of the human first before the cricketer, and says that’s exactly the environment that he’s sought to achieve within the group. 

He believes once players feel the love from the coach, they will always play for the coach. 

"What's important for me was just to always give them love, always give them the care, the energy and be consistent in doing that and I think that builds trust. So, those are the things that I can really speak to now,” the coach. 

“We still have a lot to make sure that we champion within the team environment but yeah, the environment for me was probably the most important to make sure that we get that right because the talent that the players have, have always had that's why we've been in finals before. 

“It was just finding that 10 percenter and that 10 percenter for me was in making the environment a lot stronger."

He admitted that there is a bit of nervousness in camp ahead of what is the biggest match of their lives, but says that’s actually a good thing.