India vs South Africa: Women’s ODI World Cup Final 2025 – Likely playing XI, pitch report, weather forecast and where to watch

The ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final will see a new champion crowned on Sunday, November 2, when hosts India face first-time finalists South Africa in a 50-over blockbuster clash at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The match kicks off at 09:30 GMT. After a month-long tournament featuring 30 intense matches, the stage is set for a thrilling finale.

The DY Patil Stadium, with a 45,300 seating capacity, has witnessed strong home support for India throughout the tournament. The team remains unbeaten at the venue, defeating New Zealand in the league stage and Australia in the semifinals, while a match against Bangladesh ended in a no-result due to rain. South Africa, on the other hand, is playing at this ground for the first time. A record group-stage crowd of 25,166 attended India’s match against Australia in the semifinals, surpassing the previous highest attendance of 22,843 at the India–Sri Lanka opener in Guwahati.

India reached the final after an extraordinary five-wicket semifinal win against defending champions Australia, chasing a massive 339-run target in women’s ODIs—a record chase. South Africa secured their spot by dominating England in the semifinals, scoring 319-7, powered by a 169-run knock from captain Laura Wolvaardt. Sunday’s final is South Africa’s first appearance in a World Cup final, while India has twice previously reached the summit clash, losing to Australia in 2005 and England in 2017.

The last encounter between India and South Africa in this tournament was a league match on October 9 in Visakhapatnam, where South Africa won by three wickets. Overall, India leads the head-to-head in Women’s ODIs with 20 wins out of 34 matches. India’s last victory over South Africa came in a tri-series match in Colombo in May, with Jemimah Rodrigues scoring a match-winning 123.

Players to Watch:

For India, Jemimah Rodrigues has been the standout performer, with 268 runs in the tournament, including a match-winning 127 in the semifinals against Australia and an unbeaten 76 against New Zealand. The Mumbai-born batter has shown resilience, overcoming anxiety and inconsistent form to shine at the critical stage. Smriti Mandhana has been India’s second-highest run-scorer with 389 runs, while Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani have led the bowling attack with 17 and 13 wickets, respectively.

For South Africa, Laura Wolvaardt leads the charts with 470 runs in eight innings, including three half-centuries in the league stage and a stellar 169 in the semifinals. Marizanne Kapp, who also became the all-time highest wicket-taker in Women’s World Cup history with 44 wickets, has been a key performer, taking 12 wickets in the tournament, alongside Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Pitch Report:

The DY Patil Stadium pitch in Navi Mumbai is renowned for its bounce and steady pace, making it highly favorable for batters. Once they get their eye in, players can score freely, as the ball comes onto the bat smoothly.

Form Guide:

India’s recent form shows a mixed run: W-W-L-L-L. Despite finishing fourth in the league phase, India’s fearless semifinal chase against Australia proved their mettle. South Africa, with a record of W-L-W-W-W, displayed consistency and power, including a dominant semifinal win over England by 125 runs.

Team News:

India may reinstate all-rounder Sneh Rana, replacing Radha Yadav. Predicted lineup includes Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, and Renuka Singh. South Africa is likely to retain its semifinal XI, possibly adding Anneke Bosch to strengthen the batting. Predicted lineup: Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta (wicketkeeper), Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, and Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Weather and Venue:

The forecast predicts sunny intervals with passing showers in the afternoon and the possibility of a late-night downpour. The DY Patil Stadium and Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium were the final venue options; the latter would have hosted the final had Pakistan qualified, based on an ICC-brokered agreement allowing neutral venues between India and Pakistan.

Viewing and Tickets:

Fans can watch the final on Star Sports in India and SuperSport in South Africa, with live coverage on terrestrial, satellite, and online streaming platforms (at 3 PM IST). Tickets start at ₹150 via the official website, though resale prices on platforms like Viagogo have soared above $1,350.

The Women’s World Cup 2025 final promises an electric atmosphere as India seek to lift the trophy for the first time at home, while South Africa chase their maiden title. Both teams bring form, talent, and determination, making Sunday a historic day for women’s cricket. (With inputs from Agencies)