Jenna Evans: “I Want to Make a Difference in My Team”

On Thursday, 12 January 2023, our gsport Twitter Space with host Oarabile Diphoko returned as the conversation was dedicated to the SA U19 team, who are currently representing the country at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil.

Diphoko caught up with SA U19 team-mates Ayanda Hlubi and Jenna Evans, gsport writer Tlamelo Kganakga who is covering the prestigious tournament, as well as gsport Content Lead, Celine Abrahams, as she highlighted our #WorldCupWednesday campaign.

During the conversation, Hlubi and Evans shared their excitement, as they are featuring in a global showpiece.

With this being the first major U19 tournament for women cricketers, Hlubi shared her ambitions, saying: “I want to have a good tournament and hopefully become the No.1 fast bowler in the world someday. I have been working so hard to get my techniques right and I can see that I am going somewhere but I still have some work to do with regards to my fitness.”

While team-mate Evans revealed her goals stating: “I love my fielding. I’d love to take some amazing catches amazing stops and I want to make a difference in my team.”

Evans further added that her future plans include making the senior Momentum Proteas team, playing for clubs overseas and academically, she would love to study towards a Bachelor of Science degree.

Also sharing her views on the World Cup tournaments that will be taking place this year, Kganakga revealed: “It is our time to be recognised, it is our time to be listened to and it is our time to shine.”

Echoeing Kganakga’s sentiments, gsport Content Lead, Abrahams, highlighted the #WorldCupWednesday campaign, which aims to amplify efforts to shine the spotlight on women’s sport this year.

“The initiative was launched by gsport founder Kass Naidoo at the gsport Annual List of Newsmakers event back in December 2022.The aim is to gather more support ahead of a big year for women’s sport that is coming to our local shores. South Africa is not only hosting the ICC U-19 World Cup, we also have the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, the Senior ICC T20 World Cup, World Table Tennis Championships as well as the Netball World Cup. Let me not forget to mention that Banyana Banyana will also be representing the country at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.”

Abrahams also took the opportunity to thank those who have supported #WorldCupWednesday since its inception and also shared the website where the official 2023 – The Year of Women’s Sport t-shirt and 2023 cap can be purchased – shop.gsport.co.za”

You can listen to the full gsport Twitter Space here!

Photo 1 Caption: South Africa’s U19 cricketer Jenna Evans, who is representing the country at the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup. Photo: Jenna Evans  (Instagram)