Sune Luus will be hoping that her T20 WC performance improves. "My parents just missed their flight," South Africa's captain said on the eve of the tournament opener at Newlands against Sri Lanka. "They'd already checked in and had breakfast when they realised they'd missed the boarding time. Hopefully, they will be here for the first game to support me."
They ought to. Several flights to Cape Town from Johannesburg, where Cecile and Braam Luus spent more time than expected at the airport, were scheduled for Thursday and Friday, and the match will not begin until 7 p.m. (local time).
But, with a major assignment approaching, Luus didn't need parental issues to add to her workload. "If you sit down and think about everything that is going on around you, the amount of pressure, and the big event, you will put yourself under a lot of pressure, which may not go well. So I'm trying to concentrate on tomorrow's game, on cricket, on my plans, and on what I need to do to execute and lead the team to victory."
The recent events surrounding Luus have been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the exclusion of Dane van Niekerk from South Africa's T20 World Cup squad due to a failed fitness test. Luus has been filling in as captain since January, when Van Niekerk sustained an ankle injury.
Luus has stated that being a stand-in captain can be challenging, but she feels that her leadership qualities have developed over time, and that she has become more comfortable with her team. Luus previously captained provincial under-19 and senior teams before taking over as South Africa's ODI captain in 2017. Under her leadership, South Africa has won 19 out of 34 ODIs and 14 out of 28 T20Is.
Luus is excited to take on the challenge of being the T20 World Cup captain, saying that it brings new responsibilities and difficulties but that she is willing to grow in the role. She believes that her calm and collected demeanor on the field is an important quality to have as a captain.
Luus is aware of the impact that the South African team can have, both on and off the field, in inspiring young girls to pursue careers in sports. Her own love for cricket was inspired by her father, a junior cricket coach, who was proud and emotional when Luus informed him of her appointment as World Cup captain.
Despite her success as a captain, Luus knows that this is just the beginning of a long journey, and that there will be more opportunities for her and her family to share in her achievements.