South Africa, Oct 2 : Captain Laura Wolvaardt believes that India’s passionate home crowd could work to her team’s advantage when the two sides meet in the ICC Women’s World Cup final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
As the Proteas prepare for their maiden World Cup final, Wolvaardt said that while the host nation will have the backing of thousands, the weight of expectations might put India under pressure.
“It’s going to be a very exciting opportunity, but at the same time I think it puts a lot of pressure on them as well,” Wolvaardt said on the eve of the final. “They have the whole country behind them and are sort of expected to win. I think it sort of plays in our favour, hopefully.”
India are chasing their first ever world title in women’s cricket, while South Africa are also in search of their maiden World Cup trophy. Despite the Proteas leading India 3–0 in previous World Cup encounters, Wolvaardt dismissed any notion of complacency, stressing the need for a fresh mindset.
“Every cricket game starts at zero. We can’t bring any of our history into this game whether it’s finals we’ve lost or matches we’ve won against India. We’re starting completely afresh,” she said. “Both teams are under pressure, and whoever stays calmest will likely come out on top.”
Reflecting on her own growth as a player, Wolvaardt said she’s focused on staying grounded and present rather than being overwhelmed by the occasion.
“In my first final, I was thinking too much about the trophy and the winning moment. This time, I’m just trying to stay focused — on training, on execution, on slowing things down,” she said.
Beyond the trophy, Wolvaardt said a World Cup win would have a transformative impact on women’s cricket in South Africa, inspiring young girls across the nation.
“It would be really special for the women’s game back home. We recently got domestic contracts, and a World Cup trophy could inspire an entire generation. Imagine young girls seeing that we’re a World Cup-winning nation it’ll mean everything.”
As both teams gear up for history, Sunday’s final promises not only a battle for supremacy but also a defining moment for women’s cricket.