While the Netball World Cup fever might be a thing of the past, one of the tournament\u2019s brightest stars Phumza Maweni continues to illuminate the streets of Khayelitsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The gusty defender was among the top performers for the South African Netball team during the recently concluded Netball World Cup at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), pulling fascinating defensive moves, especially in the nail-biting tussle against the dethroned champions New Zealand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The match ended in a dramatic 48-all draw, with Maweni making vital interceptions throughout the match to give her side some lost ground and eventually drawing the game in the end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heading into the last three minutes, South Africa was trailing by 43 to 47 and on the cusp of an early exit from the tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, vital interceptions from Maweni on two occasions proved vital as the Proteas clawed their way back into the contest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With fewer than 15 seconds left, she pulled out another interception, sending the crowd and the entire South African bench into a frenzy. A quick play through the park led to Nichole Taljaard scoring an equaliser in the last second of the match. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maweni also had some stellar performances against Uganda, where they eventually went down 49-47, to finish a disappointing sixth in the tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an interview with City Vision<\/em> <\/span>she praised her teammates and the coach for their support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having played in the last two Netball World Cups in Sydney, Australia (2015) and Liverpool in the United Kingdom (2019), Maweni said the Cape Town instalment of the contest was her last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She said it is time the next generation of players took the baton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have no words to describe how it feels playing in front of your home crowd in a world cup. It is a huge honour for me. The fans were amazing. They were like that eighth player for us. Thank you to everyone who came to support us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflecting on the dramatic draw against New Zealand, Maweni praised the coach Norma Plummer for instilling confidence in the team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNew Zealand used to beat us by 40 plus. When she came she gave us a lot of confidence and encouragement. She told us they were just players and it was the same ball. Now we are up there with them. You can see they are afraid of us now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maweni said she plans to make a difference in the community through her foundation. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo all the young girls out there, you must never give up or doubt yourself.\u201d <\/span> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" While the Netball World Cup fever might be a thing of the past, one of the tournament\u2019s brightest stars Phumza Maweni continues to illuminate the streets of 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