Proteas spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba hopes to play a significant role in their do-or-die clash against Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup match in Gqeberha on Saturday. The 22-year-old will be aiming to replicate the performance that saw her take three wickets for just 10 runs in a convincing victory over New Zealand in Paarl on Monday. As they stepped up their preparations this week, Mlaba said it was a “must-win” for the Proteas as they look to secure a top-two spot in Group A. Mlaba, who was part of the Proteas team that held a training camp in the city at the end of 2022, said she was familiar with conditions at St George’s Park and hoped to put that knowledge to good use. “I have got quite used to these conditions. If the wind picks up, I am able to control the ball nicely. “I know which side to bowl from if it is windy, but I don’t mind bowling into the wind, because I have been practising that as well,” she said. Mlaba, who bowls slow left-arm orthodox, believed conditions could be crucial to how she performs if the pitch offers assistance to the slower bowlers. “The last time I was here, I was getting quite a bit of turn. “I would almost say it suits spin bowlers a bit more than it would the quicks,” she added. While she saw spin bowling as a key component of any T20 side, Mlaba believed it would come down to who could execute their game plans best. “Spinners are always key, [especially in this format] if you don’t have a spinner in your team, you might go for runs. “Unfortunately we only have a few spinners as opposed to the number of fast bowlers, so it could be an interesting battle on Saturday. ” Speaking about her performance against the White Ferns, Mlaba said she had been nervous in their opening game loss against Sri Lanka but came into her own during the second rubber a few days later. “I was very nervous in that first match but I was just me in that second match. “I told myself to keep it simple, play my game, have fun and try not to overthink things too much, so once I got that first wicket it helped me to relax and everything just flowed after that. ” Having made her T20 international debut in 2019, Mlaba said she was still in disbelief to be part of such a strong, talented group of players in the Proteas ranks. “Playing for my country is amazing and I absolutely love playing alongside these women. “They are really talented and have bags of experience, so I am learning a lot. “2019 was a very good year for me. “I was blessed beyond measure, because I first got called up to the national academy straight out of school and shortly after that I was drafted into the national camp, before getting my call to join the senior side. “I love the band (at St George's Park) because I always sing and dance along to their tunes and along with the fans. “They will create an atmosphere in the ground, so we urge them to come and support the girls,” she added. Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times . Just R20 for the first month. .