Fully Charged for History: Harmanpreet Kaur Says India Ready for World Cup Glory Against South Africa.

Navi Mumbai, Nov 2025 : On the eve of the ICC Women’s World Cup final, India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur dismissed concerns that her team may be mentally exhausted after their emotionally charged semifinal victory over defending champions Australia. The Indian squad skipped training immediately after the win—understandable given the adrenaline, pressure, and euphoria of knocking out the tournament favourites—but returned to nets on Saturday with renewed focus ahead of Sunday’s title clash against South Africa.

India’s semifinal triumph has electrified the country, with fans still celebrating one of the most thrilling wins in recent memory. But as the celebrations continued nationwide, questions surfaced about whether the players were still carrying the emotional fatigue of that night. Harmanpreet insisted that the team is anything but drained.

“When you are at a stage like this, playing the World Cup final, I don’t think there can be a bigger motivation than this,” Harmanpreet said at the pre-match press conference. “The entire team is fully charged up. Everyone is standing together, supporting each other, and giving prayers and blessings. That shows how connected we are and how ready we are for this match. Now it’s only about going out there and giving your best.”

While India battled through an intense semifinal in Navi Mumbai, South Africa stunned former champions England in Guwahati in the first semifinal. With an extra day of rest and preparation, the Proteas head into their maiden ODI World Cup final with confidence. But India’s captain emphasised that her side has been preparing for this moment far longer than the last few days.

“It’s not that we reached the final and now suddenly have to prepare,” she said. “We have been preparing for this for two years, knowing India would host the World Cup and understanding the kind of conditions we would encounter. We have worked consistently and planned everything from the start. Now it’s just about giving 100% and being there for the team.”

This is India’s third ODI World Cup final, after heartbreaking losses in 2005 and 2017. That history, Harmanpreet said, is driving the players to script a different ending.

“We know how it feels to lose a final. But now we want to know how it feels after we win,” she said with a determined smile. “Hopefully, tomorrow will be special for us. We will give our best and play the best cricket we can. We have worked very hard to come this far. Tomorrow is about bringing everything together for India.”

Harmanpreet, competing in her fifth World Cup, said the team combination for the final will be announced only at the toss.

“We’ll reveal it before the match—I’m not allowed to say it earlier,” she laughed. “But the best part for us is that whoever has got opportunities in this tournament has delivered. Everyone who has played has come up with their best performance. That’s the biggest strength of this team.”

As fans across the nation prepare for a historic Sunday, Harmanpreet offered a final message: the team is focused, united, and ready. “We are fully charged. This final is motivation in itself. Now we just want to make the country proud.”

The closing ceremony is set to shine with Bollywood glamour. Leading the star lineup is singer Sunidhi Chauhan, who will deliver a special performance during the innings break of the IND W vs SA W final.

Sunidhi will perform alongside 60 live dancers, with spectacular fireworks, a laser show, and appearances by 350 performers adding to the grand celebration. A drone show will also be part of the ceremony. Choreographer Sanjay Shetty is overseeing the event. Before the match begins, Sunidhi will sing the Indian national anthem, while Taryn Banks will perform the South African national anthem.

Speaking ahead of the big day, Sunidhi Chauhan said she was honoured to be part of the Women’s World Cup finale. “The Indian team is in the final, the stadium will be packed, and I expect an electric atmosphere. This day will be memorable for all of us,” she said.

The final starts at 3:00 PM IST, and with neither India nor South Africa having won a Women’s ODI World Cup before, cricket fans are guaranteed a new champion this year.

Team Maverick