Semi-final highs and group stage collapses: How the Proteas have fared in the Women's World Cup

The Women's World Cup had a two-year head-start on the men's, but it's always been in the background.

With the growth of the women's game, that's become impossible, especially after the successes of the T20 World Cups and the 2017 showpiece edition that was hosted in England.

With Covid-19's icy tentacles affecting every sport, the tournament was moved down a year, meaning each team's developmental cycle is a year older.

The Proteas will have to navigate the tournament without star player Dane van Niekerk while Lizelle Lee will miss the opening game against Bangladesh at the University Oval in Dunedin.

A good start is what South Africa will need for the tournament they first participated in back in 1997 hasn't always been kind to them.

Here's how they've fared in the tournament in the past 25 years:

1997 edition in India - Quarter-finals

SA's first sojourn to the World Cup that was hosted in 27 cities saw them exit at the quarterfinal stage. The teams were split into two groups of six and five teams each, with SA being placed in Group A with giants Australia and England.

Predictably, they lost to both sides, with the seven-run loss against England offset by a 10-wicket loss to Australia.

In seeing off Ireland, Denmark and Pakistan, they were paired with India and lost in the first play-off round.

Australia went on to win the tournament.

2000 edition in New Zealand - Semi-finals

The tournament was reduced to eight sides, from where SA produced their best performance at the time by finishing in the top four.

They were fourth behind Australia, New Zealand and India, with all three teams beating SA in the round-robin stages.

Australia, a continued thorn in SA's side, comfortably beat them in Lincoln, but New Zealand avenged their loss