CSA walks the talk, launches professional women’s league

Cricket South Africa are walking the talk when it comes to backing women in sport.

CSA officially launched a Professional Domestic Women’s League on Tuesday afternoon at Freedom Park in Tshwane.

The new structure comes after the success of the Proteas Women in the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup, which was hosted in New Zealand and the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2023 held on home soil, where they reached the semi-finals and final, respectively. It was at the latter tournament where Proteas Women were dubbed ‘History Makers’ after they became the first senior national cricket team to reach the final of an ICC World Cup.

South Africa also hosted the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in January this year, where the SA U19 team narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-finals, after an exhilarating super 6 stage.

The new CSA Professional Domestic Women’s League will comprise of two main tournaments; the CSA Women’s One Day Cup and CSA Women’s T20 Challenge.

The women’s structure is set to undergo significant changes, with the number of permanent contracts in the ‘Top Six’ Division being among them.

The six teams in the inaugural competition will be the DP World Lions, Six Gun Grill Western Province, Fidelity Titans, Hollywoodbets Dolphins, Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers, and newcomers Free State Cricket.

“We are thrilled to unveil the Professional Women’s Cricket League, an initiative that celebrates the remarkable achievements of our national women’s cricket team and paves the way for an even brighter future.  The professionalisation of the women’s domestic structure aims to elevate the women’s cricketing landscape by providing a platform for local talent to shine, fostering a culture of sporting excellence, while inspiring the next generation of players,” CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki, says.

“With the success of South African cricket on the global stage, we believe that this will be a steppingstone for local talent, creating an environment that fosters growth, resilience, and a deep love for the sport,” adds Moseki.

He says fans, players and sponsors have welcomed the professionalising of the women’s domestic structure with enthusiasm.

“We call on brands to continue showing their support for women’s cricket, recognising the league’s potential to redefine the narrative around women in sports in the country.” Article by Ntsako Mukhari