Women's World Cup: South African spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba said that she's happy to return to Colombo after last playing in the tri-nation series earlier this year when she picked up six wickets from three games.
00:00Afternoon everyone and thanks for joining us for this pre-match press
00:03conference with Nongkulelegum Laba from South Africa. Okay, just a reminder to
00:12please ensure you've got a microphone in your hand before you ask a question.
00:17Good luck tomorrow. Looking back at some of the previous results so far and the close
00:33finishes that you've had, does it almost energise you guys knowing that you've been
00:37able to get through those games relatively unscathed and it gives you sort of confidence
00:43to know that in tight situations you guys can hold your nerve? Yeah, obviously as a team
00:48we try and attack each game at a time and obviously our main focus is to try and win
00:55all the games that we play and yeah, the confidence is there for the team and yeah, we're just
01:01ready for the next game. I know you're not really in the team for your batting but I'm
01:05sure there's been a couple of nervy moments towards the end there where there was a chance
01:08that you would have gone out and you know, had to bat. What are you like in that situation?
01:13I was definitely going to contribute as well for the team because I know that I can hold
01:18a bet. So yeah, but I was kind of a bit happy that I didn't go in because the pressure was
01:24too much and thank God to Nadine that she obviously finished the game.
01:28And maybe just quickly a word on Colombo. I'm sure you've probably seen that the spinners
01:33have relative success here. Are you looking forward to coming here and playing?
01:36Yeah, I think it's my second time playing here, right? Yeah, because we had a tri-series
01:41against obviously Sri Lanka and India and yeah, it's always good to come back here and
01:47hopefully this time around I'll just do well for the team.
01:58Hi. In terms of playing in Colombo, so you've played all your matches so far in India and you've done very well and I just want to know is there anything you're looking to do differently in terms of the pitch here with your bowling?
02:12No, no changes, just doing the same thing, one thing that I normally do best and just sticking
02:18to my good lines and length and yeah, the rest will take care of itself.
02:23And in terms of the mood in the camp, you all are, you've done so well with some of the tougher challenges, you've got Australia in your final game but the next two it's Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
02:36How do you all keep yourself from sort of not thinking too far ahead and just focusing on the next game because you just need to get the points?
02:43I just feel like each and every team is very hard to play against because we played against Sri Lanka in the tri-series and also played against them at home and they beat us in a few games and yeah, they definitely have a good team.
02:58The spinners, they're very good and Atapa to herself, she's also kind for the team.
03:03So, as a team, we don't undermine any team, we just play our own game and try our best to win the game.
03:11And how important is that tri-series experience coming into this game?
03:17I think now we, as a team, we kind of know players, especially me as a bowler, I know in certain play where to bowl, where is their strength and their weaknesses.
03:28So, yeah, it was very important for me to actually read and to know the players.
03:33Yeah.
03:40Mlaba, South Africa, top border is full of right-hand batters and Sri Lanka has plenty of leftarmers.
03:49As a leftarm bowler, do you see, is it a threat or any special preparations for that?
03:56Sorry, can you please repeat?
03:57South Africa, top border is full of right-hand batters.
04:01So, Sri Lanka has plenty of left-arm bowlers, so do you see it as a threat and any special
04:10preparations for that?
04:11Definitely no.
04:12I think since they face me, I'm the left-arm spin bowler in the team and yeah, there's
04:19definitely no threat at all.
04:20They know what to do and yeah, I just trust them and I beg them and yeah.
04:25Hi, Lefty, just a couple of questions from back home.
04:30Actually, just one because you answered the other one.
04:32We had Bangladesh at 78 for five in the opening 23 overs in the last game, but somehow allowed
04:38them to get back into it and score 232.
04:41As a bowling unit, what have the conversations been behind the scenes in addressing this
04:45and how do you plan to get it right against Sri Lanka?
04:49I think that's obviously part of the game.
04:51You know, we as a team, you start off well and then sometimes you just like here and there,
04:55but then it's just a matter of trying to bring the team together and just try and focus and,
05:01you know, do well on that certain period.
05:03I've watched a lot of games and a lot of teams, they've also been going through the same as
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