The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup will witness its first-ever final without Australia or England on Sunday. The match, to be held at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, will see India take on South Africa. India are in their 3rd final with SA Women reaching their maiden summit clash. The match will start at 3:00pm IST on Sunday.
Ahead of a blockbuster contest, we present all the major details you need to know.
Journey of the two teams in this World Cup
In the ongoing World Cup, India started by posting two wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Thereafter, three successive defeats came their way against the likes of Australia, South Africa and England. India then bounced back against New Zealand to seal 4th place. Their final league game against Bangladesh was washed out. India defeated Australia by five wickets in the semis thereafter.
South Africa started their campaign on a sorry note, losing to England. What followed next was a run of 5 wins on the trot. This assured them of a top three berth. Their final league clash against Australia ended in a defeat which meant they finished 3rd. In the semis, SA-W defeated England in Guwahati to book a final berth.
The top scorers and wicket-takers for the two sides in this WC
With 470 runs from 8 matches, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt leads the scoring chart. She averages a solid 67.14 with one ton and three fifties. India’s Smriti Mandhana is 2nd on the scoring list. She has 389 runs from 8 matches at 55.57 with one ton and 2 fifties.
Deepti Sharma owns the joint-most wickets in this World Cup alongside Australia’s Annabel Sutherland. She has 17 wickets from 8 matches at 24.11. For the Proteas Women, Marizanne Kapp and Nonkululeko Mlaba have 12 wickets each from 8 matches.
A look at the key player matchups
Kapp can trouble Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. The star pacer has removed Kaur four times in 13 WODI innings. She has given away only 67 runs off 80 balls in this duel, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Meanwhile, Deepti has dismissed Wolvaardt three times in WODIs. Wolvaardt has managed 95 runs in this duel from 173 balls.
What are the approaching milestones?
As per ESPNcricinfo, Wolvaardt is 40 runs shy of becoming the top scorer in a single edition of the Women’s World Cup. Wolvaardt, who owns 470 runs, can surpass Alyssa Healy’s tally of 509 runs from 9 matches in 2022. Besides Healy, Wolvaardt can also get past Australia’s R Haynes, who scored 497 runs in 2022.
Mandhana is 71 shy of 1000 Women’s ODI runs against South Africa. She owns 929 runs at 51.61 from 19 matches. Mandhana is also 52 shy of 1000 World Cup runs. She has 948 runs at 43.09.
A look at the H2H record
India and South Africa have faced each other 34 times in Women’s ODIs. India have won 20 matches against SA-W, who have claimed 13 wins (NR: 1).
Unique stats of India and South Africa in World Cup 2025
India own the two highest team totals in this World Cup – 341/5 and 340/3. They also scored 330/10 against Australia in the league stage. SA Women have two 300-plus totals, scoring 319/7 and 312/9.
India have three centurions in this World Cup. SA-W have two centurions.
SA-W’s Nadine de Klerk has the best strike rate among batters in this World Cup (136.69). India’s Richa Ghosh owns the 2nd-best strike rate (132.23).
Wolvaardt owns the most fifty-plus scores in World Cup 2025 (4). Pratika Rawal and Mandhana own the best partnership worth 212 runs versus New Zealand Women.
What are the likely playing XIs for the final?
India likely XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Amanjot Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana/Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur.
South Africa likely XI: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Anneke Bosch/Masabata Klaas, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba.
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