The final hurdle

A month full of thrilling matches will finally come to an end on Sunday with the completion of the India-South Africa ICC Women’s ODI World Cup final. Carrying the hopes of their respective nations, both teams are eyeing their maiden title. And the way both teams overcame the challenges, they deserve to witness this moment.

While the hosts are favourites, the visitors are no longer carrying the tag of ‘underdogs’. For India, it is no longer about proving skill or form, but about crossing the final hurdle that has so often tripped them.

“We have been talking about that whenever we have enjoyed and given our best, we always get positive results. It’s a proud moment for me and the entire team, and I’m sure the entire country must be also very proud of the way we have played the last two games,” said India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

“At a stage like the World Cup final, there cannot be any bigger motivation. The team is charged up, players are supporting each other and that shows they are together and how ready we are for this match. Now it is about giving a 100 per cent,” she added.

Talking about the bursting of emotions after the record win against Australia, the skipper didn’t hesitate in accepting that it was an emotional moment. “I think, on a normal day, I am the first one to cry in the dressing room. Any defeat, I will be weeping in the dressing room. People may not have seen it, but my team knows it. The win against Australia was something special... considering the records and the kind of players they have,” she said.

The Indian captain also revealed that three consecutive losses to Australia, South Africa and England in the league stage didn’t affect the side. “We have been playing together for the last two years, keeping in mind this particular World Cup. Even though we had three big losses, everyone was together and we were all saying that we still have a great opportunity to reach the final. That was our positive mindset. We talked about what we wanted to improve, but at the same time, we were all looking at the same goal. Reaching the final is a long process, there are ups and downs. Some teams win, some lose. But at the end of the day, it’s about how we reach the end,” she said.

While the match is expected to be high-scoring considering the last outings played here, the bowlers will have an important role to play. Seamers Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur and Amanjot Kaur will be the players to watch. If Shree Charani repeats the same performance as against Australia, it will be a big relief for Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Proteas have shown remarkable resilience through the tournament. They were bowled out for 69 against England in Guwahati, and later overpowered the same opponent at the same venue. Veteran Marizanne Kapp (204 runs, 12 wickets), Nadine de Klerk (190 runs, 8 wickets), Tazmin Brits (212 runs), Chloe Tryon (167 runs, 5 wickets) and skipper Laura Wolvaardt (470 runs) have all delivered telling performances.

“We are trying not to think too much about the past. Every cricket game starts at zero. We can’t sort of bring any of our history into this game. Whether it would be finals that we’ve lost or games that we’ve won against India, we’re just really trying to erase all of that stuff and start completely afresh in this game. I think there’s big pressure on both teams to perform, and I think whoever stays the calmest under that pressure is going to most likely come out on top tomorrow,” said Wolvaardt. “The team aims to stay in the moment, slow down, and execute the game

plan. I am surrounded by calm girls, and they are hoping for the best in tomorrow’s game,” she added.