Why Proteas women are wearing black jersey in South Africa Women vs England Women, 2nd ODI Match?

The second ODI of the England Women’s tour of South Africa saw a surprising visual change on the field as the South African Women’s Team donned black jerseys instead of their traditional green. The match, held at the Kingsmead in Durban, saw the hosts use the platform to address a critical social issue of gender-based violence.

South Africa came into this match with momentum, having secured a comfortable six-wicket victory in the series opener. This second match was also special as Laura Wolvaardt played her 100th ODI. Notably, Cricket South Africa (CSA) initiated the black jersey campaign to raise awareness about gender-based violence, an ongoing societal crisis in the country. In a video shared by CSA, players expressed their thoughts, urging society to eradicate violence against women.

Check out the viral Black jersey of South Africa Women here:

CSA had earlier as well raised awareness about gender-based violence

Interestingly, two years ago, the South African team wore the black shirt in the fourth women's ODI against West Indies due to the same social issue. Before the game, CSA posted a video in which many of the home team's players spoke about violence against women, imploring people to abolish this problem from society. Cricket South Africa's logo on social media platforms was also changed to monochrome in support of the cause.

Also Read: SA-W vs ENG-W 2024 ODI series: Schedule, Squads, Live Streaming, Broadcasters & All you need to know

Fast forward to today's game, after winning the toss, England opted to field and soon had the South African batters under pressure. Lauren Filer and Sophie Ecclestone struck early, and Charlie Dean’s brilliant four-wicket haul along with Filer's three wickets further dismantled the South African lineup. By the 27th over, the home team was reeling at 117/8, with only Chloe Tryon’s 45 offering some hope as the side was bundled out for 135 runs in 31.3 overs. The hosts will be hoping to pick early wickets to build pressure on the tourists in a low-total match.