Anyone but England for South Africa, except Australia

Look through one end of the women's World Cup binoculars and England are clear favourites to win their match against South Africa in Guwahati on Friday. Look through the other end and another picture comes into focus.

England have prevailed in seven of the last eight matches between the sides in the format. South Africa have won only four of their most recent 20 ODIs against these opponents.

But, against all-comers, the English have lost seven of their last 20 games - and four of their last eight. South Africa have won five of their most recent eight and eight of their last 20.

The teams England beat in those 20 ODIs were Pakistan, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, West Indies and India. South Africa's successes, besides the one against England, came in games involving Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Pakistan. So the numbers say Friday's game should be closer than it might seem at first glance.

Chloe Tryon is not about to be caught up in all that. "I'm not looking at too many of the stats," Tryon told a press conference on Wednesday. "We're going into a World Cup where we're playing the best in the world. It's our opening game so there's a lot of pressure on everyone.

"We need to make sure we put up our hands and play our best cricket. I'm not worried about the stats and what has happened before. We need to be present."

England have won six of their eight World Cup clashes against the South Africans, including the 2017 and 2022 semifinals. Only against Australia do South Africa have a worse World Cup record - played eight, lost eight.

England were World Cup champions in 1993, 2009 and 2017, and runners-up in 1982, 1988 and 2022. South Africa have yet to reach a final. They were twice in the decider of the T20 World Cup, but lost to Australia at Newlands in February 2023 and to New Zealand in Dubai in October 2024.

Tryon played in both of those matches, and in the semifinals lost against England. She is ready to leave all of those memories behind.

"We've always wanted to win a World Cup, and all the grit and hard work behind the scenes is showing," Tryon said. "You can see in everyone's faces how much they want this World Cup. But we're not going to think too far ahead. If you do that you might get lost."

In her 15 innings in the World Cup, Tryon has scored just one half-century - a hard-hit 54 off 26 in a preliminary match against England in Bristol in 2017. That's a strike rate of 207.69, not least because she hammered 81.48% of her runs in fours and sixes.

Tryon averages 39.60 in the six ODI innings she has had in Asia this year, including scores of 67 and 74 against India and Sri Lanka in Colombo in May.

Doubtless she will look past all of those stats. That's what it means to be present in the moment - to focus on the now. It also helps to have your binoculars the right way round.