India's Historic Quest: Can Women's Cricket End 20-Year World Cup Drought?

The winner at the DY Patil Stadium will lift the coveted Women's Cricket World Cup trophy for the first time in their history. It will also be the first Women's Cricket World Cup final that will not feature Australia or England, according to Olympics.com.

Sunday's title clash will be India's third time in the Women's World Cup final. India lost to Australia by 98 runs in the 2005 final and suffered a dramatic late collapse in 2017 against England to lose by nine runs.

In the semi-finals on Thursday, India defied the odds to end Australia's reign as defending champions by pulling off a record run-chase of 339 runs in Navi Mumbai. Jemimah Rodrigues scored an unbeaten innings of 127 to guide India home. Harmanpreet Singh contributed with a vital 89.

South Africa, meanwhile, will feature in their first-ever Women's ODI World Cup final. Laura Wolvaardt's commanding 169 powered them to 319/7 against England in their semi-final before Marizanne Kapp's career-best 5/20 sealed a 125-run win.

Jemimah Rodrigues showed nerves of steel to drive India home against the mighty Australia in the semi-finals. She is among the top scorers in the Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 with 268 runs from six innings at an average of 67.

She also scored 123 when India faced South Africa in a women's ODI match back in May. World No. 1 batter Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur have also been among the runs, while Deepti Sharma is the joint top wicket-taker in the tournament with 17 scalps.

For South Africa, they will be heavily reliant on their skipper, Laura Wolvaardt. With 470 runs in eight innings at an average of 67, she is the tournament's leading scorer.

Marizanne Kapp, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Nadine De Klerk have been South Africa's top wicket-takers, according to Olympics.com.

India and South Africa have faced each other 34 times in the women's ODIs. India have come out on top on 20 occasions, while South Africa have won 13. One match ended in no result.

The two cricket teams also met during the league stage, with the Proteas coming out on top after chasing down a target of 252 with three wickets and seven balls to spare.

However, India have played three matches in Navi Mumbai at the Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 and are unbeaten at the venue so far.

South Africa will play at the venue for the first time at this World Cup.

Squads:

India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shefali Verma, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.

South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, Tazmin Brits, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase.

- ANI