India is the third ranked team in WODI while South Africa is fourth. In reaching the final they knocked out Australia and England respectively.
India v South Africa | Women’s CWC Final | Sunday, 2nd November | Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai | 11:30am
India is the third ranked team in WODI while South Africa is fourth. In reaching the final they knocked out Australia and England respectively.
When these sides met during the pool phase of the World Cup it was South Africa who came out on top, winning by three wickets with seven balls to spare.
Prior to their meeting earlier in the CWC India beat South Africa four games in a row.
South Africa reached the knockout stage of the CWC by finishing third on the table. India finished fourth.
India’s Smriti Mandhana is the top ranked batter in WODI cricket – She is currently the second highest run-scorer in the tournament. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who is ranked third in the world is the tournament’s leading scorer.
South Africa’s Tazmin Brits has already scored five centuries this year.
In helping South Africa get past England in the semifinal Marizanne Kapp returned the best bowling figures of her illustrious career – she took 5/20.
India’s Deepti Sharma is currently the leading wicket taker in the tournament with 17 scalps to her credit. Young spinner Shree Charani is fourth with 13 wickets, one ahead of the Proteas leading bowlers, Kapp and Nonkululeko Mlaba who have each claimed 12.
South Africa’s finisher Nadine de Klerk currently boasts the highest batting strike rate in the tournament at 136.69. It is an excellent number given that she has played six innings at an average of 63.33.
Venue: Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
This is the same ground that saw India beat Australia in the tournament’s second semifinal on Thursday.
The average first innings score at the ground is 249.
India holds the record for the highest score recorded at the venue. They made 341/5 from 48.3 overs when they beat Australia in the semifinal. That score is also the highest successful run chase at the ground.
The lowest score recorded at the ground in a WODI was Bangladesh 195 for nine in 50 overs made against Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament.
The lowest score defended at the ground was Sri Lanka’s 202 all out made against Bangladesh.
South Africa have never played a T20I at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy ground.
India have never lost a WODI at the ground. They have played there three times, winning two with the third ending as a No Result.
There is no advantage to batting or fielding first at the ground – in the four WT20I played at the ground, two were won by the side setting and two by the side chasing.
Weather:
Rain could play a role in Sunday’s final with forecasts suggesting the weather in Mumbai will be partly cloudy. The maximum temperature will be around 32 degrees, rising from a low of 26. There’s a 25 percent chance of light rain during the day, increasing to 35 percent overnight. Humidity is expected to be high at around 80 percent.
Form (most recent game first):
India: W, NR, W, L, L.
South Africa: W, L, W, W, W.
Key player:
India, Jemimah Rodrigues: India’s Rodrigues has scored 203 runs since she was last dismissed. She banged a career best 127 not out in the semifinal a score that followed on from her undefeated 76 against New Zealand. She is looking extremely accomplished and comfortable out in the middle and took the promotion to number three in her stride. She was out for a duck against South Africa in the pool phase of the competition, but a lot has happened since then. She isn’t India’s highest ranked batter, but she is certainly their form player at present.
South Africa, Laura Wolvaardt: With 470 runs to her credit at an average of 67.14, South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt is the tournament’s leading run scorer. She started the tournament slowly, but her form has improved with almost every outing, culminating with her sensational knock of 169 in the semifinal against England. Wolvaardt is not only playing with confidence, but she is also playing with sense. Her innings against England was all about balance, attacking when she needed to and defending when wickets fell. Her wicket will be the big scalp in the final, but she won’t give it away easily. If Wolvaardt gets going again South Africa will have every chance of victory.
Verdict: South Africa
This is a tough one to call as both sides overcame overwhelming odds to secure their spot in the final. Sometimes teams find it hard to get up to the same level again after such an epic win but given that both sides arrive in the final in similar circumstances it makes it tricky to decide where the momentum is. India will have a frenzied home crowd behind them which can be both a positive and a negative. If South Africa can silence the crowd early the pressure will all be on India. Marizanne Kapp has been a hero for South African Women’s Cricket for well over a decade – she has hinted that she wants to bow out at the top with a World Cup win and the team will want to deliver.
