The year was 2005, on April 10... when the Indian women's cricket team, under the captaincy of Mithali Raj, reached its first-ever Women's World Cup finals. At Centurion, India battled but fell short, losing to Australia by 98 runs.
Fast forward to July 23, 2017, Mithali Raj led India to another final. Facing England at Lord's, India narrowly missed victory, losing by just 9 runs.
Now, after the spans of 2005 and 2017, the wheel of time has ushered in November 2, 2025. This finale will unfold at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium, where India squares off against South Africa. Historic in its own right, this final marks South Africa's debut in a World Cup final and is notable for the absence of both Australia and England's teams.
Harmanpreet Kaur and her stalwart team must seize this moment decisively. In the 2017 final, Harmanpreet scored a memorable 51 runs, and perhaps the sting of near success lingers still. Here in Navi Mumbai, she is presented with a chance akin to the feats of Kapil Dev in 1983 at Lord’s and MS Dhoni in 2011 at Wankhede Stadium.
The question at hand: Can India overpower South Africa today? Harmanpreet Kaur eyes this great opportunity, and if the team claims the title, it will be India’s maiden World Cup victory in this format.
For 36-year-old Harman, this stands as a milestone in ODIs, possibly her last chance at the World Cup in this format. Harman is on the verge of a legacy, poised to join the league of legends, Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni, who etched their names into sports history with their ODI World Cup wins.
The electrifying final between the Indian and South African women's cricket teams will commence today (November 2) at 3 PM at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium. The toss will occur at 2:30 PM. Fans can catch the live action on Jio Hotstar and DD Sports (DD Free Dish).
Indian Squad:
Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaur, Shri Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Harleen Deol, Uma Chhetri (wicketkeeper).
South African Squad
: Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Aneiryn Dirkesen, Annelie Bosch, Mignon du Preez, Sinalo Jafta (wicketkeeper), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Keshav Maharaj, Marizane Kapp.
