Olivia Anderson made her international debut in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in February 2008. She opened the batting for her side and impressed with 91 against Papua New Guinea and an unbeaten 46 against Ireland in the semis, with both innings getting her Player-of-the-Match awards. South Africa won the tournament and qualified for the World Cup to be played in Australia in 2009.

Anderson developed an interest in cricket after operating the sightscreen for men's games at the Centurion that her father would take her to watch. She started playing when she saw a match where South Africa needed 12 runs to win off two balls and Lance Klusener hit two sixes.