Harmanpreet Kaur’s India one win away from re-writing history books:Women in Blue set sights on maiden ICC trophy, South Africa gunning for historic title

When India, under Kapil Dev, won the 1983 World Cup, defeating the mighty West Indies, it was a groundbreaking moment for Indian cricket. It inspired many young minds to pick up the bat. The same moment was recreated for women’s cricket when they beat the unbeatable Aussies in the semifinals​. However, the maiden ODI World Cup win against South Africa will stamp the fact that women’s cricket has already reached its watershed moment. A title triumph could trigger an unprecedented surge of interest in women’s cricket in India, inspiring a new generation of young girls to take up the sport, perhaps even more than the advent of the Women’s Premier League did three seasons ago. The 13th edition of the World Cup is guaranteed to crown a new champion between third-time finalists India and first-time finalists South Africa, both riding on the back of remarkable campaigns. IND vs SA, Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 match details Match: India women vs South Africa women Time: 3:00 PM IST Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai Toss: 2:30 PM IST Where to watch: Star Sports Network (broadcasting), Jio Hotstar (Streaming) or follow live updates on the Bhaskar English app.
Pillars of India’s historic run to the final After the thrilling showdown that Jemimah Rodrigues (127*) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89*) built up, India has been listed as favourites on home soil. However, the show that Indian batters had put on has come up with sky-high expectations for the Indian women’s team. So India must keep their head ice-cool in the summit clash against South Africa, who have evolved throughout the tournament. Also, the trauma of a nine-run loss from the 2017 ODI World Cup final vs England still lies fresh in the mind of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. So, it’ll be more of keeping nerves calm for the Indian women’s team. Can South Africa script an anti-climax? South African women’s team has shown remarkable resilience through the tournament, from being bowled out for 69 against England in Guwahati to later thrashing the same opponent at the same venue in the semi-finals. On top of that, veteran Marizanne Kapp (204 runs, 12 wickets), Nadine de Klerk (190 runs, 8 wickets), Tazmin Brits (212 runs), Chloe Tryon (167 runs, 5 wickets) and skipper Laura Wolvaardt (470 runs) will pose a gigantic challenge for Women in Blue. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (12 wickets) will test India’s batting lineup. IND vs SA, head-to-head record In terms of head-to-head against South Africa in the ODI format, the Indian women’s team is better on record. They have won 22 out of 33 one-day internationals against the Proteas women. Meanwhile, only one match ended without a result. Pitch report for DY Patil Stadium It is a batter-friendly pitch at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, as it was evident in the previous match against Australia. So it is expected to be a high-scoring match. Although without pace, the innings linger here, so teams might go ahead with two pacers and more spinners in the playing combination. Weather conditions in Navi Mumbai Conditions in Navi Mumbai will likely favour the batters as they have so far, with temperatures not expected to cross 31 degrees Celsius and some dew expected in the chase. There is a reserve day in case rain washes away the match. However, the match will resume instead of starting all anew on Monday in case of rain interruption.