South Africa’s female Cricket National team on Friday opened their Women’s T20 World Cup currently ongoing in Dubai with a statement thrashing of West Indies by 10-wicket.

The SA ladies who were finalists in the 2023 edition of the World Cup reached their below-par target of 119 with 13 balls to spare as Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits both struck impressive half-centuries.

Skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits fired South Africa to the crushing defeat of the Windies while left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba set up the win with bowling figures of 4-29 to restrict 2016 champions West Indies to 118-6 in Dubai.

Wolvaardt, who hit 59, and Brits, who made 57, then took charge to steer last year’s finalists to 119-0 in 17.5 overs as Wolvaardt was tested early in her knock by the West Indies bowlers but once she found rhythm, the right-handed opener reached her 50 in 45 balls.

Wolvaardt survived reprieves on five and 33 on both occasions a return catch dropped by the bowler and on the first West Indies’ Zaida James getting cut on her jaw when the ball ricocheted off the hand.

West Indies will seek redemption when they face Scotland on Sunday at the same venue, while South Africa takes on England in Sharjah on Monday.

South Africa hosted the previous World Cup and reached their first global final before losing to six-time champions Australia, but this opening win sent a clear message to their opponents that they are confident of going one step further.

South African men Cricket National Team, The Proteas, handed Ireland a humiliating 139 runs in the first of three One-Day Internationals (ODI) on Wednesday with Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs hitting half-centuries.

The victory also meant Proteas avenge a shock T20 loss to the same opponents last weekend and also followed an ODI series defeat against Afghanistan last month.

Rickelton who opened the batting in just his third appearance in the format, hit 91 off 102 balls with seven fours and three sixes, that being the 28-year-old’s highest score in all international cricket matches.

Middle-order batsman Stubbs, playing in only his fifth ODI, was equally unforgiving on Ireland’s bowlers, making 79 off 86 balls with two fours and four sixes as both men helped rescue South Africa from a perilous 39-3, putting on 152 for the fourth wicket as the Proteas made 271-9 off their 50 overs.

Mark Adair, who took four wickets in Ireland’s 10-run T20 win on Sunday, claimed another four-wicket haul on Wednesday as Ireland struggled to make headway against fast bowlers Lizaad Williams and Lungi Ngidi with their first five wickets falling for just 61 runs.

Only three Irish batsmen got past 20 with Williams, playing in just his fifth ODI, finishing with a career-best 4-32 off his 10 overs and were eventually bowled out for 132 in the 32nd over with veteran all-rounder George Dockrell top-scoring with a modest 21.

The second and third games of the series will take place at the same Abu Dhabi venue on Friday and Sunday.