South Africa's unfinished business: finding a No. 3

Mandla Mashimbyi issued a sharp retort during a press conference on Thursday: "I can promise you one thing, we cannot play a match without a No. 3. We'll definitely have somebody batting at No. 3."

We'll know who that will be when South Africa lose their first wicket in a T20 World Cup match against Australia at Old Trafford on Saturday.

In the first nine of the 13 T20Is South Africa have played this year, their opening stand reached 50 only once and never lasted more than seven overs. Then, in their four most recent games against India, they reeled off two century stands for the first wicket and another of 75. Their longest opening partnership in those four matches endured into the 16th over.

Laura Wolvaardt was South Africa's No. 3 in the first eight games. Then she moved back to the top of the order for the rubber against India, and scored two 50s, 92 not out and 115 at a series strike rate of 168.37.

Wolvaardt's return to an opening berth was the right decision. But the inheritor of her old job, Tazmin Brits, hasn't settled in. She has lasted 20 or more balls just once in five innings, with a highest score of 30 off 23.

Dane van Niekerk could be a candidate to come in at first drop. But she has never batted in that spot in her T20I career of 82 innings, and has scored 81 runs in five trips to the crease since coming back from retirement.

Annerie Dercksen has batted at No. 3 only twice in her 25 T20I innings and not since November 2024.

Even so, Mashimbyi refused to be fussed: "We are blessed. We're sitting with so many options within the squad. It's not something I stress about. It's about what we want and what type of brand we want that No. 3 to play. Based on that we'll make the right call."