South Africa will take on England and Netherlands in a bid to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup early next year. Apart from that, the Proteas will face West Indies in two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is as well in the summer.

Also Read: Dwaine Pretorius ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2022

Notably, the first edition of the CSA T20 league starts on January 10. However, the final match is likely to be played on February 4. The national team will take on England in three ODI games which will be played between January 28 and February 1. It is expected to be played after the group stage and before the knockouts of the CSA T20.

South Africa might be forced to field a second-string squad against West Indies in March 2023

The three T20Is against West Indies and two ODIs against the Netherlands will be played from March 25. It will most likely clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) and may force the Proteas to field second-string XIs.

Meanwhile, the inaugural season of the CSA T20 will be played in venues including Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Centurion, Durban, and Gqeberha. As a result, the ODI series against the Three Lions will be played in Bloemfontein and Kimberley. These two cities do not have CSA T20 franchises.

"We are trying to spread the game around and make sure some of the venues that didn't host much cricket in the pandemic get games. We are also trying to secure more matches, and if we get them, Kingsmead will definitely get some games."

said Pholetsi Moseki, the CSA chief executive

Read Also: CSA T20: Here's a list of the top 10 Most Expensive players in the CSA T20 League

Venues including Newlands, Boland Park, and St George's Park will be utilized for the Women's T20 World Cup, which will be played in South Africa in February 2023. The matches against West Indies will be played at the Wanderers and SuperSport Park. Moreover, they will also host the T20Is later.

The home team will also take on the Men in Maroon in an ODI series. The series will be played in East London and Potchefstroom. Meanwhile, the matches against the Dutch side including the pink-day ODI will be held in Benoni and Johannesburg.

New Zealand so far has received only three ICC trophies, including its recent triumph in the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

Funnily, the first win for New Zealand was in the previous generations of fans, a generation that saw the two gorgeous captains Stephen Fleming and Saurav Ganguly.

The second win came in the next generation when the Virat Kohli-dominated Indian test side fell short to the representative of gentleness and calmness, Kane Williamson.

Here are all the three triumphs of New Zealand in the ICC tournaments.

2000: The Champions Trophy

Earlier known as the ICC Knockout Trophy, the Champions Trophy of 2000 was the first-ever ICC tournament that the Kiwis won.

The tournament was hosted in Kenya.

In the quarterfinals, New Zealand defeated Zimbabwe by 64 runs, advancing towards the seminal where they defeated Pakistan by 4 wickets. 

Coming to bat, Pakistan posted a huge total of 252, based on Saeed Anwar's 104 runs. While chasing, even though the Black Caps trembled a bit, they managed in the middle with the likes of Roger Twose (87), Nathan Astle (49), and Craig McMillan (51*).

In the final, they met the Indians. The Men in Blue, who were enjoying an undefeated streak in the tournament, fell short of winning the final despite Ganguly's 117-run innings.

Chris Cairns' unbeaten 102 led New Zealand to 265/6, winning by four wickets and securing their maiden ICC trophy.

2021: World Test Championship

The second big ICC tournament that New Zealand won was the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021, held in the Oval.

The rain-affected test match saw the Kiwis restricting the Indians to 217 in the first innings. Kyle Jamieson had his standout performance for New Zealand with his bowling figure looking 5/31.

New Zealand took a 32-run lead. However, in the second inning, India's batting crumbled for 170, posting a minimal 139 runs chase for New Zealand.

New Zealand achieved the target, losing 2 wickets, becoming the first ever test champion for the WTC.

2024: ICC T20 Women's World Cup

New Zealand's third ICC title came after they claimed their first Women's T20 World Cup title by beating South Africa by 32 runs in the 2024 final.

After posting 158/5, led by Amelia Kerr's 43 and Brooke Halliday's 38, New Zealand restricted South Africa to 126/9 in 20 overs. Kerr also shone with the ball, taking 3/24.

Despite Laura Wolvaardt's strong start for South Africa (33 off 27), their middle order faltered under pressure. This victory marked a remarkable turnaround for New Zealand, who entered the tournament after a 10-match losing streak.

List of ICC Trophies won by New Zealand

After the 8 wickets defeat against New Zealand in the first test, India needs to win 5 out of seven tests to qualify for the World Test Championship final.

India is currently playing the second test against New Zealand at the Mumbai Cricket Association, where New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat first.

Even after the defeat in the first test, India is enjoying the top position in the World Test Championship points table, with 68.06%.

However, New Zealand has moved up to fourth with 44.44%, creating additional pressure for India to perform well in the remaining fixtures.

India’s Road to Qualification

To ensure a place in the WTC final, the two-time runners-up India needs to win 5 out of 7 test matches. However, four wins will make them depend on the performance of other teams.

The remaining two matches in the 3-match test series against New Zealand are crucial, as they need to win to ease their way to the final, as India will face Australia in the next series.

India will tour Australia for the highly anticipated 5-match Border-Gavaskar-Trophy test series. Australia right now is in the second position with 62.50%.

Australia's performance against strong contenders will heavily impact the final standings.

Competition from Other Contenders

Australia, like India, needs four out of seven tests to qualify for the final. However, India must also keep an eye on South Africa and New Zealand, who are both vying for a top-two finish.

South Africa right now sits in the fourth position with 47.62%, with a chance to reach 69.44%. All they need to do is win at least 4 of their 5 remaining tests. Winning all of them, however, won't put them in the calculator situation.

🚨 WTC Final Alert:

With South Africa's win in Mirpur, 3 wins aren't enough for India now!

The race for the finals just got intense. Every match counts! 🇮🇳🏏#WTC2023 #Cricket #INDvNZ #rohitsharma #PatCummins #WTC #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/w74FOwdfBp

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) October 24, 2024

New Zealand too shares the same situation with the proteas. They will have to win all five of the remaining test series to hope for qualification. A dominant win against India in the first test may boost their confidence, as all the leftover tests are against India (two away remaining and three at home)

England, on the other hand, is in the sixth position with 43.06% and can only finish with a maximum of 60%. That means they will have to depend on the performance of other teams to qualify.

Read Also: ICC confirm venue and dates for World Test Championship 2025 final

Other Teams in the table

Teams like Pakistan, West Indies, and Bangladesh have already been eliminated from contention, as they cannot breach the 50% mark even if they win all their remaining matches.

Latest updated World Test Championship points table

The 2024 T20 Women's World Cup has concluded giving a new winner New Zealand.

New Zealand defeated the South African women by 32 runs, achieving the trophy for the first time.

However, here are some stats to know about the 2024 edition of the trophy.

Batting Records

Highest Runs

Laura Wolvaardt, the skipper of the South African women's team, tops the list with the highest runs. She finished the tournament with 223 runs. Her average counts 44.60. Worlvaart is the only batter in the tournament to surpass 200 runs.

Her teammate Tanzim Brits stands second with 187 runs, and England's Danni Wyatt-Hodge scores 151 runs, standing 3rd in the table.

The Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is at the fourth spot securing 150 runs in the tournament.

Best batting average.

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur is at the top of the list with an average of 150. England's Nat Sciver-Brunt is the only other batter to have an average above 100. She is in the second spot with an average of 107.00.

Most fours and sixes

Both the Proteas, Wolvaardt, and Brits rule the list smashing 24 and 19 boundaries, respectively.

Dottin smoked nine sixes; no other batter could even clear the fence four times.

Highest Individual Score

SA's Anneke Bosch is at the top, scoring 74* against Australia in the semi-final match. England's Maia Bouchier is the second scoring 62* against Scotland.

Wolvaardt stands third with a score of 57 not out.

Other Records

WI's Deandra Dottin is the only player to register a 150+ strike rate after playing at least 50 balls. She registered a strike rate of 162.16.

Indian skipper Harmanpreet is the only batter to smash multiple half-centuries throughout the tournament.

Read Also: All the ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup winners

Bowling Records

Most wickets

New Zealand's Amelia Kerr scalped 15 wickets, registering her name as the bowler to have the most number of wickets in a Women's T20 World Cup edition.

Her average (7.33) is the best among bowlers with at least five scalps.

South Africa's Nonkululeko Mlaba stands second with 12 wickets.

Best Individual Figures

WI's Karishma Ramharack has the best bowling figures in this tournament. She recorded her best bowling figures (4-0-17-4) against Bangladesh.

The other bowlers with four-fers in the competition are Mair, Australia's Ashleigh Gardner, Dottin, Kerr, and Mlaba.

Best Economy Rate

Australia's Megan Schutt has the best economy rate of 4.07 in the event, among bowlers who delivered at least 15 overs.

England's Sophie Ecclestone (4.38) and Marizanne Kapp (4.64) are next on this list.

Team records

India records the highest total of 172, losing 3 wickets, against Sri Lanka.

South Africa scored 166 against Scotland and New Zealand scored a massive 160 against India. These were the two other scores that touched the 160 mark

India registered an 80-run win against Sri Lanka, while South Africa sealed a similar win against Scotland, making them the top-two largest victories this year in terms of runs.

The ICC Women's T20I World Cup was inaugurated in 2009. The top 10 teams participate in the tournament. Initially, eight teams participated, but the team count increased to 10 with days.

So far, 9 editions have been successfully conducted, with Australia winning 6 times in it.

The other three teams who turned out to be the winners are England, West Indies, and New Zealand.

Read Also: India's performance in every Women's T20 World Cup

Here is a summary of the winner since its inaugural version in 2009.

1| Australia

Australia has been the most dominating force in the World Cups, be it any format. A 5-time ICC Women's ODI World Cup Champion, Australia has won the ICC Women's T-20 World Cup six times.

An unprecedented exit from the 2024 Women's World Cup doesn't undermine the capabilities this team holds.

Here are the years Australia won their title.

2010—the maiden title

Led by  Alex Blackwell, Australia won its maiden title in the ICC Women's T20I World Cup, hosted by West Indies.

They remained undefeated throughout the tournament. In the semi-final, they defeated India by seven wickets. 

In a thrilling final, they edged past New Zealand by three runs. Ellyse Perry's 3/18 earned her Player of the Match.

2012—defended the title

Hosted by Sri Lanka, Australia defended their title there in 2012 under Jodie Fields. 

After finishing second in the group, they beat the West Indies women by 28 runs in the semi-final.

They defeated England by four runs in the final, with Julie Hunter taking the most wickets (11) in the tournament.

2014—third consecutive title

In 2014, Bangladesh hosted the tournament. Meg Lanning led Australia to a third consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup title.

Even though they lost their opening match, they bounced back to win five straight. They defeated the West Indies in the semi-final, defeating England in the final.

Lanning topped the run charts with 257 runs.

2018—title reclaimed

West Indies hosted the World Cup for the second time, with Australia winning it again in 2018.

Led by Meg Lanning, Australia won three group games but lost to India. However, they bounced back, defeating the West Indies by 71 runs in the semi-final and England by eight wickets in the final.

Ashleigh Gardner shone with 3/22 and 33 runs in the final.

2020—Win at home

Hosted by Australia itself, the team clinched their fifth title. Even though they suffered a shocking defeat against India, they went on to win the rest of the matches.

This included a narrow 5-run win against South Africa in the semi-final and a massive 85-run win against India at the MCG.

Beth Mooney (259 runs) won Player of the Tournament, with Megan Schutt taking 13 wickets.

2023—sixth title

In 2023, Australia won their sixth ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title in South Africa, remaining undefeated.

They defeated India in the semi-final and South Africa by 19 runs in the final.

Beth Mooney’s 74* sealed the victory, and Ashleigh Gardner was Player of the Tournament.

2| England

England hosted the inaugural ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009. The hosts dominated the tournament, defeating New Zealand by six wickets.

Led by Charlotte Edwards, England maintained an unbeaten streak in the group stage and defeated Australia in the semi-final.

Claire Taylor was named Player of the Tournament for her impressive 199 runs in five innings. Captain Edwards also shone, earning two Player of the Match awards.

3| West Indies

In 2016, India hosted the World Cup, seeing West Indies win its maiden title. 

They ended Australia's winning streak by defeating them in the final by 8 wickets.

Led by captain Stafanie Taylor, the West Indies sealed a historic win with the captain leading from the front. Taylor scored 246 runs and took eight wickets, earning the Player of the Tournament award. 

In the final, Hayley Matthews played a crucial role, scoring a match-winning 66 off 45 balls, helping the West Indies chase down Australia’s total. 

4| New Zealand

The 2024 edition of the tournament, which was supposed to be organized in Bangladesh, was shifted to the United Arab Emirates due to the political unrest in the former.

New Zealand won their maiden ICC Women's T20 World Cup Trophy title in 2024, defeating South Africa in the final after defending 158/5.

Amelia Kerr, who took 15 wickets, was named Player of the Tournament. 

Kamran Ghulam, the replacement of Babar Azam in the team, has scored a steady half-century in 104 balls, raising questions about Azam's future in the test team.

Having replaced former captain Babar Azam after a crushing defeat in the first Test against England, Ghulam walked onto the Multan pitch with immense pressure on his shoulders. When Pakistan looked on the verge of crumbling, he stood calm.

However, his celebratory flying kiss towards the dugout, making Mohammad Rizwan laugh, became the talk of the town. 

Babar Azam's replacement Kamran Ghulam gave flying kiss to Babar Azam after scoring fifty on Test debut 😂 🔔 Rizwan laughing 🤣#PAKvsENG pic.twitter.com/CATGrTvysv

— Atmaram Tukaram Bhide (@BakchodBhide) October 15, 2024

Who Is Kamran Ghulam? The Man Behind the Flying Kiss

Kamran Ghulam, born on October 10, hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and made his first-class debut at just 17. His domestic career had enough volumes to give him his deserving seat in the national side. A prolific batter with over 4377 runs in 59 matches, averaging 49.17, however, had to wait patiently for his chance.

He represented Pakistan at the U19 World Cup in 2014 and made his international debut in an ODI against New Zealand last year. However, he did not get his chance to bat or ball in the match.

A Ravindra Jadeja fan, Ghulam stepped calmly in the trembling ship of Pakistan. His century was mostly formulated by targeting the spinners.

Babar Azam’s Exclusion: Sponsors in Search of Big Face

Babar Azam, the former captain, not being selected can look unexpected but not surprising. Let alone his face and brand value, his recent form wasn't doing enough to keep him in the playing 11.

Despite being hailed as Pakistan’s best batter by captain Shan Masood and coach Jason Gillespie, the selection committee, headed by Mohsin Naqvi, recommended Babar’s exclusion following his prolonged form slump.

Babar, since December 2022, has not even scored a single half century in international cricket. Not only that, but the early exit of Pakistan from the 2023 ODI World Cup had brought his captaincy under scrutiny.

Read Also: Babar Azam Resigns as Pakistan's White-Ball Captain for the second time 

No.of Fifties by Babar Azam in last 2 years - 0

No.of Fifties by Kamran Ghulam in just 1 match - 1 pic.twitter.com/7jRuR4o4A8

— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) October 15, 2024

Gillespie had stressed the need for consistency in team selection, but Babar probably got the instruction wrong. A consistently inconsistent Babar Azam scored 35 runs across two innings in the first Test against England.

Babar Azam career ends here

Replacement of Babar Azam score half century on used pitch.#PAKvsENG pic.twitter.com/GW6mZ18lhr

— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) October 15, 2024

Kamran Ghulam was brought in, not just as a replacement but as a fresh face to revive Pakistan’s batting fortunes.

But sponsors here will now have problems. Babar Azam, performing or not performing, has been the dead face for endorsements. With Babar Azam sidelined, it is a new tension for them, a new problem for them to solve.