Navi Mumbai, Nov 1 (IANS): India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup final between India and South Africa is a positive sign for women’s cricket, as it ends the long-standing dominance of Australia and England — who have shared 11 titles between them. The 2025 edition, she noted, will see a first-time champion.
“It’s great to see two new teams in the final. For many years, Australia and England dominated women’s cricket. Seeing India and South Africa here brings new excitement,” Harmanpreet said at the pre-match press conference. She also expressed joy over the growing fan enthusiasm, saying the high demand for tickets reflects the growing popularity of the women’s game in India.
Recalling India’s 2017 final appearance, Harmanpreet said that achievement had transformed women’s cricket back home, inspiring many young girls to take up the sport. “If we win this final, the impact will be even bigger, both internationally and domestically,” she said.
The skipper added that the team’s journey — including three group-stage losses — has strengthened their unity and mindset. Confident about the final, she said India had learned valuable lessons from their earlier loss to South Africa and were fully prepared for a strong comeback.
