Spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba will be working hard to understand subcontinent consitions in the coming weeks.
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This year is a big one for women's cricket, given that the much anticipated Women's Cricket World Cup is taking place in India in October.
In preparation for the ICC event, South Africa's senior women national team are set to tour Sri Lanka for a Tri-Series against the hosts and their India counterparts.
The tour will play a massive role in the Proteas reminding themselves of their gameplan on the subcontinent, having played the 2024 T20 World Cup in similar conditions. They have also toured India and Pakistan over the past few years.
Proteas Women spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, as one of the best white ball spinners in the world, will have a big role to play on a spin-friendly wicket at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, where the tri-series will be staged next month.
In preparation for the tour, the 24-year-old slow left-arm orthodox is planning to spend time bowling in the middle at Kingsmead Stadium where the conditions are similar to what South Africa will get in Sri Lanka.
"For now, we have one more provincial game ... after the next weekend of cricket I'll try to spend more time here in Durban, and maybe do some bowling in the middle with coach Sandile (Lukhele) on my side, because Sri Lanka and Durban are similar in terms of conditions," Mlaba told Independent Media on Thursday.
"I've never been to Sri Lanka but that is what I've been told, so I will to try and spend more time bowling here in Durban to better prepare for the subcontinent."
With new Proteas Women's coach Mandla Mashimbyi at the helm, Mlaba revealed that there is more unity in the team.
"He's brought unity in the team. Now it just feels so much fun being around everyone. I'm at home and I'm excited to go on camp," said Mlaba. "That's one positive point so far. I feel that will lead us somewhere that we are excited to be around each other."
Having reached two finals in consecutive ICC events – the 2023 T20 World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup – Mlaba feels that their goals as a team have become much more aggressive.
The 24-year-old emphasised that they are no longer playing to reach the knockout stages but are playing to win ICC events, a mindset which makes Proteas Women a threat to any team at this year's ODI World Cup.
"We had the T20 World Cup and we've moved on. The main focus is ODIs and we want to try our best and see if we can win it this time around," said Mlaba.
"Now it's not about we want to make it to the semi-finals or the finals. It has shifted to a point where we want to win these trophies because we are tired of only reaching the semi-final and finals."