India’s Captain Faces Toss Loss at Women’s World Cup Final
In a tense atmosphere at the Women’s World Cup 2025 final in Navi Mumbai, India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur remained optimistic despite a setback at the toss. South Africa’s captain, Laura Wolvaardt, correctly called the toss after a two-hour rain delay on December 2, giving her team the first move by opting to bowl.
Winning the toss was crucial, as South Africa gained an early advantage. With the weather looking unpredictable for later in the evening, the Proteas will know what target they need to chase, especially if the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method comes into play.
Despite the delay, the final match will proceed without any overs being lost, marking India’s third appearance in the 50-over finals following previous outings in 2005 and 2017.
Harmanpreet stated that India initially intended to bowl first but is confident that batting first might allow them to set a competitive total and pressure the South African team. “We would’ve bowled first as well, considering the rain and conditions. Yet, it’s an important match, and we feel we’ve found our rhythm. Hopefully, we can bat freely and score a solid total,” she commented.
The final is taking place at the DY Patil Stadium, the same venue where India achieved a historic chase of 338 runs against Australia in the semi-final, setting a world record for the highest successful chase in women’s ODIs. However, Harmanpreet acknowledged that the pitch may not be as conducive to aggressive batting as it was in the semi-final.
“It looks a bit sticky due to the rain, and the outfield is damp too. However, I believe it will settle down after a few overs. We’ll focus on our strategy—playing with intent and staying positive,” she added.
Both teams remained unchanged for this pivotal match. India decided to keep Shafali Verma in the squad instead of bringing in Harleen Deol, following Pratika Rawal’s injury.
Team Lineups:
India Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (w), Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur.
South Africa Women (Playing XI): Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta (w), Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba.
