Proteas Women wicketkeeper-batter Sinalo Jafta went from rehabilitation for alcohol abuse to a World Cup final within months. Two years later she is relishing another crack at the global title.
Jafta is confident the team is aware of the gravity of their mission at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE from October 3 to 20.
The Proteas Women took a major step in their development a year ago by reaching the final — the first senior South African team to do so — of the T20 World Cup on home soil. They continued the brave performances they showed all tournament losing by 19 runs to powerhouse Australia at Newlands.
Jafta has consistently stepped up for the national women’s cricket team. The 29-year-old brings the experience to the national team she gained from representing Border, North West, Western Province and now the Gauteng Lions in a 14-year first class career since 2010.
It is in T20s where she has had the most success in batting for the national team. Her best average is in the format — a healthy 15.85 at a strike rate of 123.33 in 43 matches, compared with 13.09 at 53.55 in 32 ODIs. She has scored 28 runs in three Tests, averaging 5.6.
The star from Butterworth in the Eastern Cape took satisfaction that her hard work has secured her another opportunity to represent her country on the grand stage, having been named in interim coach Dillon du Preez’s squad for the World Cup last week.
“It’s an honour to represent your country. We know you have to work for it, it’s not guaranteed, and to be included in the squad for me is a big blessing. If you look at the talented players in the squad, we were 22 [at the World Cup training camp in Durban] and that only 16 can go means you worked for it, it wasn’t handed to you,” she said.
Jafta has a story. In October 2022 she realised she had a drinking problem and sought rehabilitation, but was convinced her career was over. She was discharged sober in December, worked her way back into the Proteas and played in a World Cup in the Eastern and Western Cape two months later, playing in the final for then-captain Sune Luus’ Proteas on February 26 2023, where she made nine not out in a rearguard action.
“When I went to rehab for alcohol abuse, which I thought was a way of coping, at that time it felt I wasn’t playing my best and I was hard on myself. Instead of talking about it, I was self-sabotaging with alcohol,” she told TimesLIVE Premium.
“People sometimes forget we are human, we can’t sway these things and just be OK. I now believe you have to forgive yourself, stay away from certain environments that don’t represent what you believe in, set your own path, and that’s the only way you can do justice to yourself.”
Jafta has been open about the dark period in her life. In an interview with the BBC's Stumped podcast last year she described how she thought she had blown her career.
“I was there [in rehab] to save my life and that was my mentality. I was in the mindset that my career was over.
“My drinking started during my first year of university. I was playing hockey, we had socials and fines, and I thought it was just a bit of fun. Fast forward a few years and it became what I had to do to cope. Whether I was happy or sad, whatever emotion I had, I would drink.”
With Laura Wolvaardt, who has since replaced Luus as captain, the tournament top run-scorer, the South Africans lost their first game against Sri Lanka, then did not look back, beating New Zealand, Australia and Bangladesh to reach the semifinal against England, where another victory sparked wild celebrations.
“I remember walking out feeling emotional for that first game, but I was also thinking whatever happens, happens,” Jafta told Stumped.
“I am still alive, I am sober and I am grateful. It has taught me to take each day as it comes and not to worry about tomorrow.
“Some people think going to rehab is the final straw, that it's the end. It's not, it's the beginning and the acceptance of that was the start of something beautiful for me.”
Finding her way back to chasing her dreams proved it was all worth it. She described the feeling of becoming a World Cup runner-up as one that will never be replaced and is proud of the major stride that achievement made for women’s cricket in the country.
“We made it to the World Cup final, but we were not fully professional in the domestic structure. If you look now, it's the first professional season, and the girls are getting paid. So, when I go back to my franchise, Lions Cricket, I know I am guaranteed professionalism.
“Now that players are getting paid in the domestic structure, the competition is bigger and the growth of the game makes it more competitive. We still have a long way to go, but we've started on the right path and with the right approach.”
I want to play better on the field. I want to be someone the children can look up to. That’s the biggest thing because I am not only playing for myself, I want to give hope to young children so they may know it is possible.
— Sinalo Jafta
Jafta said the Proteas are aware the expectation of them will have been raised by last year’s performance.
“We made it to the final a year ago, I think all we have to do is to take a step further. Those who missed out, they worked hard but only 15 or 16 players can be chosen. I am really excited for the young ones — they played in the U-19 World Cup last year and to see them coming into the squad is a good progression for the growth of women’s cricket in this country.”
Jafta thrives on being wicketkeeper, not just in the technical skill of it but also the role she plays talking to the fielders and bowlers, especially in pressure moments.
“As a wicketkeeper, I have to be observant of my surroundings, I have to be positive for the bowler coming in or for the team when we are out there, have a calm head. Yes, things might not be going our way and you can’t have people that are flustered — one must keep calm and that's what I think I bring to the team.
“I want to play better on the field. I want to be someone the children can look up to. That’s the biggest thing because I am not only playing for myself, I want to give hope to young children so they may know it is possible.”
The Proteas play a three-match T20I series in Pakistan from September 16 to 20 as their final preparation for the World Cup.
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