MEET THE NEW WORLD CHAMPIONS!!
Five for Deepti! She fittingly takes the last wicket, and guess who takes the catch - captain Harmanpreet Kaur. The captain who was bawling in the dugout a few nights ago, with the final yet to go.
The end of the 45th over brings the eighth wicket as Khaka is found short, a run out also effects by Deepti Sharma. SA need 53 from the last five and they fall short by 52...Nadine de Klerk falls in the end as she goes inside out and Harman runs back from cover, leaps, catches the ball and seals the World Cup!
"This is just the starting, we are going to dominate the world in every format," Amanjot Kaur says.
Third time in the final...2005, 2007 both under Mithali Raj, and she's watching from the sidelines, as she was on commentary. Jhulan Goswami is there too, Diana Edulji in the stands....they have all contributed to this and they can soak it all in!
51
93
24
12
Deepti gets the big Wolf with double-strike
Deepti Sharma is doing it all by herself. She gets the big fish as Wolvaardt miscues a big sweep and Amanjot Kaur plays with the crowd's hearts by taking the catch on not one, not two but three attempts!
And when the dangerous duo of de Klerk and Tryon get together, Deepti takes just three more balls to trap Tryon in front. She's confident, India are confident, but Tryon reviews after she's given out. My word - she's pinned in front of leg, this is a quick delivery with a different grip, and ball-tracking shows it's just clipping top of leg. That means umpire's call and India get the wicket!
South Africa eight down!
19
19
6
3
Deepti yorks Dercksen, Wolvaardt gets another ton
No need for turn, drift or bounce. After Shafali is taken for nine in her seventh over, Deepti Sharma unleashes a yorker to uproot off stump! Chloe Tryon joins the captain...
And two balls later, Wolvaardt brings up her second century in as many matches. A 169 in the semi, another ton in the final (just like Alyssa Healy in 2022). If her century in the semi-final was about leading the team batting first and then taking off in the end to mount the pressure on England, tonight she has been soaking in all the pressure, wicket after wicket after wicket. A century off 96 balls, she's leading her team close, and if she does, can the lower order finish things off for her? What a tribute that will be for their captain...
For now, SA need 88 from 60.
4
9
6
3
This might go close...
South Africa's asking rate goes past eight an over but it ain't out of control right now - 105 to get from 78 and this pair is looking good, going at run a ball. The conditions are still good for batting, not too much dew, and no team too far ahead now.
The South African dugout is sending one message after another (along with some hydration) - Nondumiso Shangase brings one for Wolvaardt, Masabata Klaas for Dercksen. Possibly asking them to take it deep as Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk can belt some big hits.
And the fifty partnership comes up between these two.
12
5
5
6
Are the scales tilting back?
Radha Yadav deliveries a high full toss which Dercksen laps up for a six over wide long-on. It's a free hit and she dispatches that over the same cow corner region for 13 runs off two balls!
It's the second drinks break, India get into a huddle because SA need 126 runs from 18 overs, not to far from how the match was placed in Vizag when SA's lower order pulled off a heist. Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk, the heroes that night, are yet to bat. Wolvaardt going steady on 81...can she get two in two?
Radha's figures stand at 5-0-45-0 after that 17-run over.
The crowd gets behind their team by singing Maa Tujhe Salaam by none other than AR Rahman.
3
14
3
2
Are the scales tilting?
Sinalo Jafta is not able to pierce the fielders in the 25-yard circle nor is she able to rotate the strike early. It might have affected Wolvaardt's rhythm as well, who has edge around a couple of times.
India put in the spin squeeze with Shafali, Deepti and Shree Charani and Jafta gives in, chipping a catch to midwicket for a scratchy 16 off 29 balls.
South Africa 150 for 5 after 30 overs, with 149 to get from 120 balls. Annerie Dercksen joins the captain and it's time for her to step up, having scored just 20 runs in four innings this World Cup.
2
8
2
1
Who saw this coming?
Take your time to wrap your haed around this...The stats guru Deep Gadhia chime in: Shafali is only the second player to score a fifty and take a wicket in World Cup finals. Lisa Sthalekar being the other in 2005.
Shafali's stunning first spell comes to an end: 3-0-8-2
7
10
5
1
Shafali has another!
She was in Surat less than a week ago, playing domestic T20s for Haryana, her home state. Now she's turning the ball and things around in World Cup final, no less! Soon after India burn their second review in a desperate attempt to remove Wolvaardt, Shafali comes on for her second over and has Kapp (her Delhi Capitals team-mate) edging down the leg side. Who writes these scripts?
South Africa 124 for 4 after 27 overs.
7
4
5
3
Shafali arrives, Shafali delivers!
All six bowlers have been given a go, Harman feels it's time to do something different. She gives the ball to Shafali, sets the field with her, and by her second ball Shafali has taken a dipping return catch from Luus for the third breakthrough!
Shafali looks at her captain at cover, Harman can't hold her smile back, they close in in slow motion with a crouch, arms wide, before Shafali picks up her captain and carries her a few yards away as the crowd finds its voice again!
SA 118 for 3 after 21.
3
5
2
3
Luus cuts loose
Wolvaardt had been doing all the heavy lifting until now, and she obviously did it in the semi-final too, with her 169. Luus, on 12 off 21, first brings out a powerful sweep for four, and then paddles one fine to make it back to back boundaries. This partnership is going at over run a ball, and is bringing the asking rate close to six an over.
Pressure on India. Here comes Deepti Sharma again.
4
9
4
5
Left-arm spin from both ends
Remember 69 all out?
After Shree Charani has started with a frugal spell and a wicket, on comes Radha Yadav from the Pavilion End. Before this game, South Africa had lost the most wickets to left-arm spin (18), had the third worst batting average (18.80) and had as many as 58.8% dot balls against those kind of bowlers. Can Shree Charani and Radha combine to work up some kind of magic?
45 Deliveries for Wolvaardt's half-century today
1
5
3
2
Wolfy on the prowl
The SA captain is in a world of her own. She's pinging the ball off the bat like Alyssa Healy does. And rightly so, as she's broken Healy's record.
509 Healy's tally in the 2022 World Cup, the most in one edition, which Wolvaardt has broken
10
17
7
6
Shree Charani shows Bosch who's the boss!
She did it against Australia and she's done it now! Into her first over, Shree Charani gives it some flight from around the wicket, pitches it on middle and pins Bosch right in front! The crowd better have some fuel left in the tank tonight. They're celebrating already as Bosch goes across to her captain to have a chat but doesn't get the nod and walks back without reviewing.
SA 62 for 2 after 12. The asking rate is 6.23.
3
5
2
2
Brits is found short!
The crowd has been shaken up alive - it's almost like Amanjot Kaur's direct hit hit them all! She had just been carted for 11 runs in her first over and she's brought about the first breakthrough by striking the stumps down. Brits was pushed on the back foot with that inducker which made her a tad late for the single after she pushed the ball to midwicket. Amanjot swoops in, picks the ball up in a jiffy and strikes the stumps down at the non-striker's end and they all celebrate straightaway with thousands around them.
The flags are fluttering again, the charts have been unrolled, the arms are aloft with the finger raised, they don't need the third umpire to tell them...
Anneke Bosch, with all of 35 runs this World Cup, at No. 3. She put down two catches as well today, the pressure is on her...
3
6
3
Wolfy silences the crowd
If you sat the DY Patil Stadium with your eyes shut, you wouldn't know - apart from the odd announcement - that there was something going on here, forget a match, let alone a World Cup final. There has been nothing to cheer about for the crowd ever since Sunidhi Chauhan stopped singing in the innings break. And Wolfaardt rubs it further by dispatching back to back boundaries on the leg side off first change Amanjot Kaur. Brits has been trying to bash the ball down the ground every now and then but she's not connecting as well, so it's the captain leading he chase so far as 50 partnership comes up in 52 balls.
2
1
3
Renuka vs Wolvaardt
This is some battle - Renuka is swinging it in, we know Wolvaardt loves to drive through the covers, so India have placed Jemi Rodrigues at short cover, even if Wolvaardt successfully drives against the swing. Renuka is swinging a bit too much into the pads though, and starts the over with a wide. Three dots after that and then "Wolfy" - as she's called by her team-mates - flicks one off the pads for four.
Oh, hello! Since Brits loves smashing the ball down the ground, Jemi is stationed at silly mid-on, almost to the right of the umpire and Brits nearly chips the ball to her! Falls just short.
2
4
1
5
India burn a review early on
15 balls into the chase, and India are a review down. Renuka hoops the ball into Brits, she's rapped on the pads right in front, but this has swung in a long way from outside off. The umpire doesn't move, India take the review, the crowd is holding their breath. Harmanpreet asks the keeper and Richa Ghosh goes exactly where Brits stood, says this is how she was struck and leaves it to the captain. Ball-tracking shows she was struck in line but this was going down leg.
South Africa 10 for 0 after three.
2
5
1
6
All eyes on Wolvaardt
It's not just about her 169 that scripted their historic win in the semi-final against England, or about being the leading run-scorer this World Cup. How India bowl to her will hold the key to SA's start - Wolvaardt loves hitting her drives through the covers and square of the wicket. England made the mistake of bowling too wide to her early on, even if the length wasn't that bad, and Wolvaardt kept unleashing her drive, one after another. England improved their lines later on but it was too late.
How much India bowl to her on the stumps will be crucial.
2
3
1
299 for World Cup glory!
69 Runs India managed in the last 10 overs
Heaves, swings, booming drives...the India batters couldn't connect as much as they wanted to in the end. Excellent effort especially by Mlaba, economical as ever on a batting pitch that offered only a bit for the spinners. She says she kept it stump to stump tonight and bowled from close to the stumps because she didn't want to give many boundaries. It was also Nadine de Klerk and Ayabonga Khaka who finished things off by mixing it up with their slower deliveries, pin-point yorkers, and stifling lines on the stumps.
Ian Bishop said on commentary there were no signs of dew, which will be good news for India. I just feel if South Africa bat to their potential, this total won't be enough on this track.
10
5
5
7
It's a packed house
5
12
2
Bosch puts another one down
Richa Ghosh heaves Kapp's last ball of this World Cup - a waist-high full toss - to leg and Anneke Bosch sprints, dives, stretches her arms forwards, but can't hold on. India go across for just one, maybe so that Ghosh retains the strike. Five in the semi-final and Kapp finishes is likely her last World Cup wicketless.
3 Half-centuries for Deepti Sharma in this World Cup
Deepti has motored along steadily, holding the innings together while wickets fell at the other end. She did it against England, she went past 50 against Sri Lanka too after India had collapsed and she has chipped in with another vital contribution at the end of the World Cup. Ghosh, meanwhile, holes out on the leg side and India are 292 for 6 after 49.
Radha Yadav joins Deepti.
2
5
3
Into the last four...
India 269 for 5, all eyes on Richa Ghosh! Mlaba to finish for the day...
4
2
Ghosh on top of the World (Cup list)
11 Sixes by Richa Ghosh in this tournament, the most. Nadine de Klerk is right behind with 10
3
1
1
5
Deepti survives, Amanjot goes
Deepti Sharma is getting close to her fifty but she is living dangerously. She does need to take risk if India want to get 300+ here. First she offers a pretty tough return catch to Kapp, then her swing down to long-on isn't pouched by Wolvaardt, and then she survives a close lbw call.
But no issues for South Africa. De Klerk, India's nemesis, stretches to her right and grabs a return catch to send Amanjot back for 12.
Out comes Richa Ghosh. Ball-basher and a proper hitter who clears the boundary wherever she goes. The spectators are waiting for some fireworks. And she obliges! Wallops de Klerk in the same over well over the covers to get off the mark with a fearless six!
2
2
1
No Richa Ghosh yet
Remember, Richa Ghosh had scored 94 against SA in the league game. Amanjot Kaur joins Deepti at No. 6.
1
1
1
2
Mlaba gets the big fish!
South Africa came into this World Cup with their homework all done. Even in the league match between these two teams in Vizag, Wolvaardt did not keep anyone behind point for large parts of the middle overs. The India batters were not placing the ball there, they were not trying out any reverse sweeps and SA's tactic worked wonders. They deploy the same field today, mostly, but Harmanpreet scythes one through the short-third area for four off left-arm spinner Chloe Tryon. Mlaba, their frontline left-arm spinner keeps the same field, and knows Harman is eyeing that shot again. The wily spinner targets the stumps, Harman goes for the cut but misses and is castled for 20! Who is Mlaba you ask? Firdose got you covered.
India 229 for 4 after 40, going at 5.72 an over. They got 64 in the powerplay, 165 in the middle overs (11 to 40). Will they get past 300?
1
1
Excellent fielding so far...
Barring the drop from Bosch near the boundary, South Africa have lived up to their captain's words of being at their best in the field today. They have thrown themselves around in the 25-yard circle and in the deep, they have hardly given any runs they shouldn't have, and have forced the India batters to keep an eye on the fielder while they try to steal some extra runs in the gaps.
India exactly 200 after 35 overs.
A brief scare for the fans in Navi Mumbai who have been subdued for a while. Deepti is given out lbw to de Klerk, perhaps pinned right in front of leg stump. But Deepti reviews and it shows the ball had pitched well outside leg. This partnership is going at around five an over.
1
4
2
From Hobart...
4
7
3
3
One brings two for Khaka!
She had an expensive first spell even though she was shaping the ball nicely to Shafali. She returns for her second, with the older ball, and has two wickets in two overs! After Shafali comes the wicket of recent hero Jemimah Rodrigues, who drills a cover drive, but uppishly and captain Laura Wolvaardt gets her fingers under the ball just in time! The umpires want to check once if it carried, and it has. It's a clean catch.
Remember, South Africa had dropped a few catches in the semi-final against England and Wolvaardt had said later they had fielded very well throughout the World Cup, and they would fine-tune a few things to be back at their best for the final. Bosch put one down earlier, so the captain sets the example herself.
Deepti Sharma joins the India captain, India 172 for 3 after 30, the run rate has dipped a little.
2
5
4
Shafali perishes for 87
The signs were there - she had started cramping, she was looking a tad tired and she had started taking the aerial route a bit too often. One of those shots had landed short of mid-off, and when she tries to go over the top again, she pickes Sune Luus at mid-off off Khaka. The drop on 56 doesn't cost South Africa that much.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur joins Rodrigues. Is it her last World Cup knock? India 166 for 2 after 28, just under six an over.
1
1
Shafali breaking down records
71 Was Shafali's highest ODI score and she has gone past that now
Her 49-ball fifty was also the second-fastest in a women's ODI WC final, behind Mooney's 38-ball effort against Eng in 2022. Sampath also says Shafali, at 21 years and 278 days, is the youngest batter to score a fifty in an ODI World Cup final. Jess Cameron (now Jess Duffin) was the previous youngest, with her 75 against West Indies in 2013, at the age of 23 years and 235 days.
Shafali also gets a cramp or two on her left leg and gets some medical treatment. But she's up and about again in a few minutes and smokes her second six, straight down the ground again.
1
2
3
Shafali gets a life, the crowd comes alive
Alyssa Healy had dropped Rodrigues the other day and did that cost Australia or what? Tonight it's Shafali who slog sweeps Sune Luus high and towards deep midwicket where Anneke Bosch puts down the simplest of catches in the deep! Shafali survives on 56 and how much will that cost South Africa?
4
1
3
South Africa break through!
The left-arm spin of Chloe Tryon brings South Africa some source of joy and silences the crowd! Smriti Mandhana is gone caught behind to her, ending her World Cup with four dismissals in six innings to left-arm spin, the most for any batter this tournament. Not a great match-up for her, having scored 88 off 88 against that kind of bowling.
Out runs her close friend Jemimah Rodrigues at No. 3 again in front of what's pretty much a home crowd for her. The last time she was on the field she couldn't stop sobbing, and understandably so. Shafali, meanwhile, brings up her half-century off 49 balls, her first fifty since July 2022.
3
4
3
4
100 and 1000
1000 Partnership runs for Smriti-Shafali, become the 4th Indian opening pair to get there
Mandhana sweeps away the new bowler Sune Luus to the midwicket boundary which takes this pair to the above milestone. In the next over they bring up the century stand as Mandhana goes over the covers off the left-arm spin of Chloe Tryon.
South Africa have rung in a double bowling change again.
1
2
1
1
Look who's here
2
2
2
2
Shafali goes all the way
The crowd had been buzzing all this while and it has been shaken up to a roar with a sublime, straight six - the first of the final! She had been stepping out evening against the opening quicks, this time stands tall against the slower de Klerk and smacks it straight back.
2
2
5
1
SA stem the flow a little
The field has spread out, the lines have become tighter and de Klerk and Mlaba do a good job of pulling things back a little. No boundary for four overs in a row and India are 75 for 0 after 13.
2
1
1
1
Listen to the expert
1
2
1
It's raining.....boundaries
64 Highest powerplay score for India this WC. Previous best was 60/2 v Aus in the SF
Apologies for the damp scare, but India have picked things up with six fours in the first seven overs, there was a wide down leg for another four, and Mandhana has started unleashing her delicious drives to close in on run a ball. Wolvaardt is forced to bring in changes from both ends, Mlaba for the expensive Khaka (3-0-29-0) and medium-pacer de Klerk for Kapp (4-1-21-0). Both the new bowlers are welcomed with a four each and Firdose is getting anxious:
"Very early but we’re already potentially seeing the weakness of this selection. Marizanne Kapp is not finding much swing and Ayabonga Khaka maybe too much and now South Africa don’t have a third option. Nadine de Klerk is a slower ball bowler, who relies on the cutter, and Annerie Dercksen has only bowled once in five matches at this tournament - and it was only five balls. Where do South Africa look for a wicket?"
2
The 50 stand comes up
39 Balls taken to get to the opening half-century stand
3
8
4
1
Shafali vs South Africa
A hint of width outside off and she's clearing the circle without taking the aerial route. Just a bit on the pads and she's flicking it for fours. Shafali races to 21 off 15, with four fours already in the first five overs as Mandhana remains a bit circumspect.
Let's wound the clock back a few years - Shafali had smashed a 53 off 46 against SA at the 2022 World Cup. In 2024, she also hammered a Test double-century.
2
The crowd comes alive
First Shafali ventures out of her crease and dispatches Khaka's first ball past point, and then Mandhana gives Kapp the same treatment from the other end to steer the ball for another four. Kapp isn't happy about that, gesturing animatedly to the point fielder. The Indian tri-colour is out in all sizes, the music has started blaring, the boundaries have started on what could be another batting track.
India 13 for 0 after three overs.
1
1
Kapp starts with a maiden
The last time these two teams met, it was in the league stage in Vizag when rain delayed the proceedings there too. India were put in to bat, and Marizanne Kapp gave Smriti Mandhana a tough time, especially swinging the ball into her and beating both the edges outside off. Mandhana survived her first spell then, and starts this grand finale with a maiden against Kapp.
There's some swing here too and Mandhana defends and pushes at the ball cautiously. It's possible she wants to see out the first few overs before it gets better to bat.
1
2
1
What all should we watch out for?
This ground was a colosseum three nights ago when India brought out the biggest ODI chase in enthralling fashion in front of a packed house. The sea of blue is ready again in the stands, the cloud cover doesn't look as ominous anymore, the floodlights are on, the teams get ready for the anthems and whole ground has been uncovered for the first time.
Here are some battles to watch out for as India get ready to bat:
- Nonkululeko Mlaba has kept Smriti Mandhana fairly quiet in ODIs, conceding 67 runs off 81 balls while also dismissing her three times.
- Jemimah Rodrigues facing her Delhi Capitals team-mate Marizane Kapp could be a battle to watch out for. Kapp has dismissed Rodrigues twice, while giving away only 16 runs in 40 balls
- Kapp has also troubled Harmanpreet Kaur, having removed her four times for 67 runs in 80 balls
South Africa opt to bowl
No changes for the two finalists, which means Masabata Klaas stays out for SA and India stick to their six-bowlers strategy. Both captains say the pitch could be a little sticky at the start, and Wolvaardt wants her new-ball bowlers to do their thing. "It is a special occasion to play in front of a crowd like this," she says.
Firdose Moonda chimes in: “It’s understandable to go with the same XI after a sensational semi-final win but I don’t like what South Africa have done here. Anneke Bosch and Annerie Dercksen have both struggled at the tournament so far and stacking the XI with batters demonstrates there’s not as much trust in the top seven as there should be. South Africa could also need another seam bowling option and it seems harsh to leave Masabata Klaas out. But… I’ve been wrong before. A lot.”
South Africa XI: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
Harmanpreet wanted to bowl first too, looking at the overcast conditions. She doesn't expect the pitch to change much after the first few overs.
India XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh
1
Let's get this show started
Eight years and a bit over three months since South Africa had their dreams shattered in Bristol, held just short of making their maiden World Cup final. A few days later, India couldn’t hold their nerve at Lord’s just when they’d have thought they had one hand on their first World Cup trophy. Heartbreaks can lead you to dark places, but nobody knew 2017 ended the shining the light on the future for both South Africa and India. Those performances forced their boards, the ICC, the sponsors and all such stakeholders to change the direction of the game, to come up with an FTP and to hold more matches, across formats. It also gave South Africa the push for a second straight semi-final appearance, and then a third; it fast-tracked the need for women’s IPL (called the WPL), it gave the South Africans the courage to make two consecutive T20 World Cup finals, and it led to equal match fees for men and women in Indian cricket. Laura Wolvaardt has since grown from the team’s Baby Driver to the Woman King, the Harmonster is still on the prowl and wearing her heart on her sleeve, and now the two collide to change the history further for their sport, for the girls watching from the stands or from their homes, whether in Durban or Delhi, Johannesburg or Jaipur, Benoni or Bengaluru.
After waiting for what seems like another eight years, we finally have a game at our hands in Navi Mumbai, with the toss set for 4.32pm and a full 50-over match from 5pm IST.
3
1
1