South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt has set the tone for a fiery ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 final against India, declaring that her side is ready to “silence” the home fans at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the Proteas skipper exuded calm confidence as she discussed South Africa’s mindset before the biggest match in the nation’s women’s cricket history.
“Hopefully, we win. I guess that will silence them,” Wolvaardt said with a smile, referring to the passionate Indian crowd expected to fill the stadium.
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Focused on the Present, Not the Past
Wolvaardt emphasised that her team is determined not to dwell on previous heartbreaks, including South Africa’s semi-final exits in earlier World Cups.
“Every cricket game starts at zero. We can’t bring any of our history into this game, whether it’s the finals we’ve lost or matches we’ve won against India. We’re starting completely fresh,” she said.
“There’s pressure on both sides, but the team that stays calm under that pressure will likely come out on top.”
The 25-year-old skipper also mentioned that India’s home-crowd advantage could be a double-edged sword. “There will be huge support for India, but with that comes expectation. We’ll just focus on our cricket and let our performance do the talking,” she added.
South Africa’s Historic Run to the Final
South Africa stormed into their first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup final after thrashing England by 125 runs in the semi-final. Wolvaardt led from the front with a magnificent 169-run knock, while Marizanne Kapp’s five-wicket haul sealed a dominant win. The Proteas have looked like a team on a mission throughout the tournament, showing resilience and composure in crunch moments. Their all-round performances with both bat and ball have made them a formidable force leading into the final.
India Eye Redemption, South Africa Seek History
For India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, this will be their third attempt to win a World Cup title, having fallen short in 2005 and 2017. The Women in Blue are hoping to end the drought and recreate the emotion of the 2011 Men’s World Cup, which India won on home soil.
Wolvaardt, however, believes her team’s focus and balance could prove decisive. “We’ve played consistently, trusted our plans, and adapted to different conditions. This final is an opportunity to make history for South African cricket,” she said.