Women's World Cup final: India Women vs South Africa Women - team news, probable XI, pitch report, weather forecast and where to watch
We are one game away from wrapping up the 2025 edition of the Women's World Cup. India and South Africa will battle it out for the ultimate prize at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday (October 30). Are they the two best teams of the tournament? The answer to this is subjective but the fact remains that they are the last two teams standing in this battle for glory.
The league encounter between the two sides was an absolute classic with Nadine de Klerk's sensational cameo pulling South Africa through from the jaws of defeat. If the final is even half as good, we are in for a thrilling night.
Team news
India
The pressure of being tournament co-hosts was immense on India and it was a bumpy ride for them in the first few weeks of the tournament. After winning their first two league games, Harmanpreet Kaur's girls lost three games in a row, putting their qualification chances in jeopardy. The defeats against South Africa and England were morale-denting while the loss to Australia also stung badly.
However, India held their nerve to beat New Zealand in a high-stakes encounter and produced one of their greatest ODI wins in the semifinal to eliminate defending champions Australia. It has been a far from the perfect campaign for the team but they have dug in and now find themselves within touching distance of history. The playing XI is unlikely to be changed although there could be a temptation to play Sneh Rana.
South Africa
While they weren't the underdogs, not many fancied South Africa to go deep into the tournament. However, the Proteas were quietly efficient and found the right balance in their team composition to have a tremendous league campaign. Their ability to seal wins out of nowhere is what bolstered the team's morale with Nadine de Klerk's lower-order hitting being the x-factor for the side.
The Proteas have a well-rounded unit and the presence of so many all-rounders gives them enviable depth. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt has found her form at the right moment and if they click collectively, South Africa have shown that they are a tough side to beat. Their performance in the semifinal against England was utterly dominant. Expect them to stick to the same XI for this clash.
Probable XI
India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh(wk), Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana/Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh, Shree Charani
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta(wk), Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
Weather forecast
It is expected to be a very humid day in Navi Mumbai and for now, there is a 25 percent chance of rain. It might be a case of minor rain interruptions but doesn't look too worrying for the moment.
Pitch report
The extremely short square dimensions at the DY Patil Stadium make it a happy hunting ground for power-hitters, especially with the flat nature of the pitch. The stadium had never hosted women's ODIs till this World Cup and the tournament has seen 330-plus scores in the last two games. The dew factor is what could tempt the team winning the toss to bowl while the chances of rain also need to be considered.
Where to watch
The Women's World Cup final between India and South Africa will be telecast on the Star Sports Network. The streaming rights of the tournament are with JioHotstar.
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