The anticipation is electric in Navi Mumbai as the cricketing world turns its eyes to the DY Patil Stadium for the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup final, a showdown that promises to break new ground and crown a first-time champion. Tournament hosts India face South Africa in a clash that’s as much about history and legacy as it is about runs and wickets. After a month of fierce competition and 30 hard-fought matches, the stage is set for a final that will forever alter the landscape of women’s cricket.
Both sides have traveled unique and arduous paths to reach this pinnacle. For India, the journey has been one of redemption and resilience. Twice runners-up, in 2005 and again in 2017, the Indian team has felt the sting of near-misses and the weight of expectation from a cricket-mad nation. Their campaign this year has been nothing short of dramatic. A sensational five-wicket victory over defending champions Australia in the semifinals—pulled off with a record chase of 339 runs—sent the hosts into the final with momentum and belief. Jemimah Rodrigues, the Mumbai-born middle-order batter, was the architect of that victory, her unbeaten 127 off 134 balls a masterclass in composure under pressure. "The semi-final was a very high-pressure game and very intense," admitted captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who contributed a vital 89 runs in that match. "We have been talking about how we can be more focused and more balanced and at the same time keeping ourselves relaxed because this is the biggest stage and biggest opportunity for us, playing in a home final."
For South Africa, this final represents the breaking of a long-standing barrier. The Proteas, often labeled cricket’s ‘nearly’ team, are in their first-ever Women’s World Cup final. Their route was no less dramatic: a stunning 125-run demolition of England in the semifinals, built on captain Laura Wolvaardt’s astonishing 169—the third-highest score in World Cup knockout history—and Marizanne Kapp’s fiery 5-20, which also saw her become the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s World Cup history with 44 wickets. Wolvaardt, the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 470 runs in eight innings, has been the calm at the center of the South African storm. "It's going to be a very tough game, with the whole crowd behind India," Wolvaardt acknowledged. "But at the same time I think it puts a lot of pressure on them as well. They have the whole country behind them and are sort of expected to win. I think that plays in our favour, hopefully. We're going to have to play some really good cricket to beat them but we're really excited for the opportunity."
The DY Patil Stadium, with its 45,300-seat capacity, is set for a sell-out crowd. The venue has been a fortress for India in this tournament, with victories over New Zealand and Australia and a no result against Bangladesh. South Africa, in contrast, are playing their first-ever match at this ground. The excitement is palpable—on the eve of the final, crowds gathered outside the gates, desperate for a glimpse of their heroes and scrambling for last-minute tickets. The stadium recently set a new record for group-stage attendance at an ICC Women’s event, with 25,166 fans packing in for the India–Sri Lanka opener.
Weather could play a role, with forecasts predicting sunny spells and the possibility of passing showers or a late-night downpour. But rain is unlikely to dampen the spirits of two teams on the cusp of history. The prize? Not just the trophy, but a record payout of £3.3 million, a windfall that could transform South African cricket, where resources are often stretched thin.
Neither team has ever lifted the Women’s World Cup, and the stakes could not be higher. For India, it’s a chance to finally convert years of promise into glory, with generational talents like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Deepti Sharma leading the charge. Mandhana, the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer with 389 runs, and Deepti Sharma, joint top wicket-taker with 17 wickets, have been instrumental. The team has also coped with adversity: Pritika Rawal, who contributed 308 runs, was sidelined by an ankle injury before the semifinals. The predicted lineup features a blend of experience and emerging stars—Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Rodrigues, Kaur, Richa Ghosh, Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, and Renuka Singh.
South Africa’s story is one of grit and overcoming the odds. The team’s backbone is Wolvaardt, but they are far from a one-woman show. Marizanne Kapp’s all-round brilliance—she shares sixth place on the bowling charts with teammate Nonkululeko Mlaba, both with 12 wickets—has been pivotal. The predicted South African XI includes Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Kapp, Sinalo Jafta, Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, and Mlaba. Many of these players have inspiring backstories: Shafali Verma cut her hair to disguise herself as a boy to gain academy access; Radha Yadav bought her father a grocery store with her Women’s Premier League salary; Jemimah Rodrigues played on Mumbai’s streets for lack of girls’ teams. South Africans like Mlaba and Dercksen have also faced challenges, from township commutes to discovering cricket by reading newspapers on a farm. Tazmin Brits, once an Olympic javelin hopeful, rebounded from a car crash to become a century-hitting opener.
Head-to-head, India and South Africa have played 34 Women’s ODIs, with India winning 20. But South Africa won their most recent meeting, a group-stage thriller on October 9, by three wickets—Nadine de Klerk starred with an unbeaten 84 and 2-52. India last beat South Africa in May during a tri-series in Colombo, with Rodrigues again the match-winner.
The match’s significance extends beyond sport. As Alex Hartley, a 2017 World Cup winner, told BBC Test Match Special, "What I'd love to come from the end of this World Cup is for girls in India to not have to pretend to be boys to play cricket. No matter what happens on Sunday, they can just be girls who play cricket rather than having to pretend to be somebody else." The legacy of this final could embolden a new generation of girls in both countries, where opportunities for women in sport are still hard-won.
For fans, the final is accessible worldwide: Star Sports in India, SuperSport in South Africa, and various global streaming platforms will carry the action live. Tickets started at just 150 Indian rupees (about $2), but resale prices have soared above $1,350—a testament to the feverish demand.
As the teams take the field, the world watches with bated breath. Will India finally seize their moment on home soil, or will South Africa’s journey of resilience culminate in a fairy-tale triumph? One thing is certain: when the last ball is bowled, women’s cricket will have a new world champion, and the sport’s future will look brighter than ever.
