“The whole crowd will be cheering for india”: Laura Wolvaardt says all the pressure will be on india in ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final

Laura Wolvaardt, the captain of South Africa, thinks that all the pressure will be on India when the teams meet in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 final in Navi Mumbai, on Sunday. For the Proteas, this match will be their first-ever final of a World Cup, a moment to create history, and she insists they are ready to challenge it. 

"It's going to be a very tough game (against India). Having the whole crowd behind them, probably being a full stadium, it's such exciting opportunity," Wolvaardt said, the day before the final. "But with that, there is a lot of pressure too on them. They have the whole country behind them and are sort of expected to win it. Hopefully that is to our advantage. They are a very good side, and we will have to play some really good cricket to beat them."

Wolvaardt, one of the shining lights of the tournament, urged her teammates to stay calm in such a big match. “Mandla [Mashimbyi, South African head coach] usually does the really motivating part, the ‘you’re playing for your country speech,’" she said with a smirk. “And then I round it off with a little ‘stay calm girls’. There’s going to be lots of noise, lots happening, maybe a few surprises from our routine, but we just need to do the basics for longer and be calm. In a match like tomorrow staying calm is going to go a long way.” 

Proteas Push for Historic First

South Africa became the first team to confirm their place in the final after a comfortable 125-run win over four-time champions England. India saw off defending champions Australia in the other semi-final, meaning a blockbuster title decider at DY Patil Stadium. 

This will be the first-ever Women’s World Cup final not containing either England or Australia, and Wolvaardt believes this is a true reflection of how far the women’s game has come.

"It demonstrates the progress the women's game has made," she said. "Countries now have more resources and are producing quality cricketers, you see that with India and the WPL's impact - with so many good players coming; as a team we have also made great strides and the progress we have made in the past couple of years, we pretty proud."

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Lessons Learn from the Past

South Africa is playing in it first ODI World Cup final, but they have played in the final of the last two T20 World Cups - experiences, Wolvaardt believes, will aid this time.

"I’m really trying not to think about the end result," she said. "In the other finals, you automatically start thinking about the trophy and the winning moment. Now I just want to stay in the present. It’s a big game against a team of quality and we need to slow it down, take a breath, and stay calm as a group."

The Proteas haven't faced a plain-sailing campaign. After being bowled out for 69 against England and 97 against Australia in the group stage, the South Africans hit their straps, winning five games in succession at the right time.

"I don't think you lose or gain skill overnight," Wolvaardt said. "It was more putting those games behind us, learning from them and mathematically focusing on our next fix. We've showed a lot of character throughout this tournament."

Inspiring an Era

For Wolvaardt, winning the World Cup would mean much more than an award for her team. "For us, it would be really special for women's cricket in South Africa," she said. "I can only imagine what it would do back home, a million girls watching on tv thinking, 'I can do that, too.' That would be incredibly inspiring.

"Back home, we've already made quite a buzz and have gotten messages from people saying they've started watching women's cricket because of this tournament. Which is really great." On Sunday, November 2, at 3:00 PM local time in Navi Mumbai, India and South Africa will face each other in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 final - a match that will decide a new world champion and, as Wolvaardt puts it, "test who can stay calm the longest."