Navi Mumbai: Women’s cricket will witness a historic climax when India and South Africa meet in Sunday’s ICC Women’s ODI World Cup final at DY Patil Sports Academy, with both teams competing for their maiden title and the chance to become only the fourth nation after Australia, England and New Zealand to win the coveted trophy in the tournament’s 52-year history.
While this is South Africa’s first appearance in a 50-over World Cup final, the Women in Blue will be competing for the third time, having played in the tournament’s summit clash in 2005 and 2017. Led by former skipper Mithali Raj on both occasions, the Indian side failed to get their hands on the coveted silverware, losing to Australia in 2005 and to hosts England in 2017.
However, the stakes are higher this time, with three-time champions England and seven-time world champions Australia out of the competition after losing their respective semi-final encounters against South Africa and India.
Both teams have had varied journeys this season. The Proteas, who were bowled out for 69 in losing their first game to England, have looked dominant in almost every game, except against Australia, when they were bowled out for 97, and have been dominant against other teams. India pulled off something for the record books after making their way to the knockouts.
After losing their group stage matches to South Africa, Australia, and England, India’s chances in the tournament appeared very bleak as their qualification hopes hung by a thin thread. However, a late victory against New Zealand in a crucial match helped them secure the last semifinal spot with just seven points, whereas the other three teams in the last-four stage had accumulated points in double digits.
While new heroes stood up for South Africa, India managed to pull back from setbacks that could have easily been victories, had they ticked some key boxes. And then, both teams avenged their group stage losses in the semis and now hunt for a historic title win.
With Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur being the faces of Indian women’s cricket, young girls now aspire to follow in the footsteps of Pratika Rawal, Kranti Gaud, and Jemimah Rodrigues, who stood up for the team this season as women’s cricket in India experienced a transition.
On the Proteas side, Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp continued to inspire and showed why they were the best in business, while Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, and Nonkululeko Mlaba rose from behind and left a mark as a new hero emerged with each passing game.
Sunday may mark a new chapter in ODIs, inspiring teams to believe that World Cup finals won’t always be dominated by Australia and England, as demonstrated at last year’s T20 World Cup final. It shows that teams finishing third and fourth can also outperform expectations in the knockout stages, that India and South Africa can handle the pressure of big moments, and that they can keep driving a transformative change.
South Africa faces the challenge of playing in front of a crowd of over 30,000 and adjusting to the conditions in Navi Mumbai, where they haven’t played yet this World Cup. Meanwhile, India will be making their fourth consecutive appearance at this venue, where they are undefeated.
South Africa have more time to recover from their semifinal performance, giving them an edge, while India have a shorter turnaround after their thrilling match against Australia that concluded on Thursday. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt has been their star performer, crowning her glory with a brilliant 169 off 143 balls, hitting 20 boundaries and four sixes. Tazmin Brits too has scored a hundred, 101 against New Zealand and an unbeaten 55 against Sri Lanka.
With two of the strongest teams in World Cup history, India and South Africa are on the verge of making history by focusing on future development. The victorious team will not only win their first trophy but may also significantly influence the future of women’s cricket, both in their own countries and worldwide.
The outcome of the game will result in heartwarming moments and heartbreaks alike, with both teams on the cusp of history. But come what may, the showdown promises to take things to a new level. Navi Mumbai might be the next in line to reach new heights in 2025, with a new chapter set to unfold on Sunday.
Unseasonal rains have recently affected many parts of the country, and similar conditions are expected on Sunday, with some showers forecasted, particularly after 5 pm.
Conditions in Navi Mumbai will likely favour the batters, as they have so far; the temperature is expected to remain below 31°C, and dew might play a role during the chase. If persistent rains prevent the match from being completed Sunday, a reserve day is provided, and play will continue Monday, rather than restarting if the game extends beyond the scheduled day.
When: Sunday, November 2, 3:00 PM IST
Where: Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
Where to watch: Star Sports Network for live broadcast and JioHotstar for live-streaming.
Squads
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, Tazmin Brits, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase
