SA's Mlaba on World Cup heartbreak and chasing a dream
When South Africa reached the final of the Women's T20 World Cup in October, batter Chloe Tryon said their goal was to "unite the country".
It seemed like a monumental expectation for a group of cricketers representing a country of almost 60 million people - but a reminder that while sport can change lives anywhere in the world, in the Rainbow Nation it can change an entire country.
So far, it has been achieved by rugby on four occasions.
The first, in 1995, saw captain Francois Pienaar lifting the trophy alongside Nelson Mandela for one of sport's most iconic moments, and in 2019 saw Siya Kolisi triumph as the country's first black captain.
Cricket is yet to etch itself into the history books, generally delivering heartbreak as it did last month, with the Proteas women losing their second successive T20 final and following the men's defeat by India earlier in the year.
Given that context, it is unsurprising that for spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, the pain of losing will take some time to overcome.
"We're still trying to find our feet, because we just don't really know what we did wrong," said Mlaba, 24.
"I felt like we had the World Cup but I don't know what happened to us on the day. But, we are going to come back and hopefully bring the trophy home soon."
Mlaba's performances in the tournament were exceptional: she took 12 wickets, which was bettered only by New Zealander Melie Kerr's 15.
Her efforts, including 4-29 against West Indies in the group stages, led South Africa to the final in Dubai via a sensational win over reigning champions Australia in the semis.
However, in the final against New Zealand, they came up short - losing by 32 runs after a faltering run chase.
There was not much time for South Africa to dwell on their upset though, as their multi-format series against England started merely weeks later, which also presents an opportunity for Mlaba to earn a fourth Test cap in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
'Don't look at where you've come from'
While she is now an integral component of South Africa's bowling attack, Mlaba's journey to this point has not been straightforward.
The left-arm spinner grew up in a township in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, where her first love was traditional Zulu dance, and she says cricket was seen "only as a sport for white people".
And while South Africa continues to struggle with economic challenges, and the game remains dominant in private schools, Mlaba, who was recently named KwaZulu-Natal sportswoman of the year, refuses to be defined by where she has come from, instead wanting to focus on her gratitude for the support that she received and how she can inspire other young girls to follow her path.
"It is simple, it comes from support and nothing beats support, motivation and belief," Mlaba says, when asked about how to get more black women involved in cricket.
"Cricket is not as big in our country as rugby or football. In my township, I see a lot of talented boys but some don't become successful because of the mentality that it's because they are from the township.
"I would say don't look at where you're coming from, it's not about that. If you're putting in the work, working harder, and working towards your goal, you will always succeed."
That support included plenty from Cricket South Africa, who helped provide accommodation for Mlaba when she needed to stay nearer to their training facilities because of the long and potentially unsafe journeys she would have to take.
Mlaba has certainly repaid the faith, having played 60 T20s and 26 one-day internationals for the Proteas so far, and dreams to play cricket for as long as she can.
And she embodies the bigger picture that comes with playing for South Africa, that feeling of wanting to play for more than just yourself and your team.
Mlaba achieves all of that by being authentically herself - her unforgettable short blonde hair, the dancing celebrations that follow each wicket and a joyous smile that rarely leaves her face when she is representing her country.
A scroll through her social media pages reveals a love for fashion and her puppy, but also the immense gratitude that she has for the game, her home, and those who helped her reach these highs.
There is plenty more to come, too - the Test match against England concludes a busy 2024, but with a 50-over World Cup next year and the T20 edition in 2026, Mlaba and South Africa still have a dream to chase.
