NEW DELHI: The heartbreak of Rohit Sharma-led India’s 2023 World Cup final defeat to Australia still lingers for many cricket fans across the country. This time, India will be hoping for a different result when the women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur , takes on South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup final on Sunday at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.

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This will be the third appearance for the Indian women’s team in a Women’s ODI World Cup final. They lost to Australia by 98 runs in 2005 and fell agonisingly short against England by nine runs in 2017.



In this edition of the World Cup, India defeated Australia in the semifinals to storm into the final, where they will face South Africa, who are making their maiden appearance in a World Cup final.

Will India finally overcome the final hurdle? How much pressure will be on Harmanpreet Kaur? Will India find it easy against South Africa?

Former India captain Anjum Chopra believes Harmanpreet will handle the big stage with ease and that India will emerge victorious.

“No pressure. Why would she (Harmanpreet Kaur) feel any pressure? There’s pressure in every game. She’s a senior campaigner who knows what it means to play a World Cup final and win a semifinal. She’s a seasoned player and a proven match-winner. The expectations and pressure that come with any international game are always there — it’s the same here. I don’t think she’ll take or feel any extra pressure. She’ll just want to make the occasion special for herself and for the country. I’m confident these girls will come through with flying colours,” Anjum told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.

“My wish is that India wins the World Cup,” she added.

However, Anjum also cautioned India against underestimating South Africa, praising their consistency in ICC tournaments.

“South Africa have been in a World Cup final before — they played two T20 World Cup finals in 2023 and 2024. So it’s not as if they’re new to the stage. In a 50-over format, yes, this is their first time, but most of the players are the same from those T20 campaigns. They know what they missed out on back then and how hard they’ve worked to reach this point after dropping their first game against England and suffering a one-sided loss to Australia. They’ll definitely want to course-correct and aim for a better result this time,” she said.

In the semifinals, Jemimah Rodrigues ’ unforgettable 127 not out stunned the seven-time champions Australia and powered India into the final. The emotions were raw — tears, smiles, and joy filled the air as Jemimah sealed India’s spot in the title clash.

“The kind of innings Jemimah played — whether it was a World Cup semifinal, final, or even a league game — was simply spectacular. It was brilliant to watch, a true spectacle. As Indians, we wanted to win that game, and she made it even more special. But even if you take the occasion away and just focus on the batsmanship, the temperament, and the skill she displayed — it was a delight to watch. From what I saw sitting in the commentary box, and what the world witnessed, everything about that innings was magnified by the occasion and the quality of the opposition. Her skill level and composure were absolutely outstanding. It was such a joy to watch Jemimah play that kind of innings,” Anjum said.