India and South Africa get ready for the final war: Key battles that will decide the fate of the match

History beckons as India and South Africa get ready to face each other in the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. The two teams will play at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on November 2. The presence of the two teams in the final ensures that we will have a new champion in Women’s ODIs.

Notably, South Africa pulled off a heist against India in the group stage. The Laura Wolvaardt-led side will be eager to repeat their antics from the game; however, Harmanpreet Kaur and her girls will be eager to turn the tables this time. As the two contenders get set for the big match, here is a look at the key battles that might decide the fate of the game.

Smriti Mandhana vs Marizanne Kapp

In the absence of Pratika Rawal, the Indian team will heavily depend on Smriti Mandhana to give them a good start. Notably, Mandhana has been in decent form in the tournament, scoring 389 runs in 8 innings at an average of 55.57 with a strike rate of 102.37.

But the job for Mandhana will not be easy; she will be up against Marizanne Kapp with the new ball. In the semi-final, the veteran medium pacer rocked England with two early wickets, setting the stage for a memorable Proteas win.