History at stake as India and South Africa battle for maiden World Cup triumph

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VIDEO SHOWS: WOMEN'S CRICKET WORLD CUP FINAL PRESS CONFERENCES RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT  SHOWS: NAVI MUMBAI, INDIA (NOVEMBER 1, 2025) (ICC – See restrictions) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAURA WOLVAARDT, SOUTH AFRICA CAPTAIN, SAYING:     "Yeah, we're trying not to think too much about the past at all, I think. Yeah, like I said before, every cricket game starts at zero. We can't sort of bring any of our history into this game, whether it would be finals that we've lost or games that we've won against India, we're just really trying to erase all of that stuff and start completely afresh in this game. Yeah, I think there's big pressure on both teams to perform and I think whoever stays the calmest under that pressure is going to most likely come out on top tomorrow." 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAURA WOLVAARDT, SOUTH AFRICA CAPTAIN, SAYING:     "I think knockout cricket is completely different to league cricket. I think like we've seen, I think people are able to do some very special things in knockout games like we saw from Jemi (Jemimah Rodrigues) the other night. So I think, yeah, starts totally afresh, I don't think we're going to be looking into our group game against them. We know we have to play some really good cricket, they're a really strong side and have just come off of a really good game as well, so they'll be high on confidence. So, yeah, we'll just have to play some good cricket, stick to our basics, stick to what we've been doing well throughout the tournament." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAURA WOLVAARDT, SOUTH AFRICA CAPTAIN, SAYING:     "I think with the whole crowd behind India, probably a sold out stadium,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, they have the whole country behind them and are sort of expected to win I guess. So yeah, I think it, it sort of plays in our favour hopefully. We're very excited for the game. They're a very good side. We're going to have to play some really good cricket to beat them, but we're really excited for the opportunity." 5. WHITE FLASH 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) HARMANPREET KAUR, INDIA CAPTAIN, SAYING:     "Yeah, as I mentioned, it's a proud moment for me and the entire team and I'm sure the entire country must be also very proud the way we have played the last few games. And yeah, it's a big day, big game and at the same time we just want to be very focused and be in the moment, I think that is the key." 7. WHITE FLASH 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) HARMANPREET KAUR, INDIA CAPTAIN, SAYING, OFFICIAL TRANSLATION:     "Well, I think when you are at a stage like this, playing the final match of the World Cup, I don't think there can be a bigger motivation than this. The entire team is fully charged up. They are standing with each other and are giving each other prayers and blessings. I think that shows how much this team is with each other and how ready we are for this match. Now it's only about giving your best, strategy and everything. It's not that we have reached the final and we have to do all this today. We have been doing this from last two years. Knowing that India is going to host the World Cup and what conditions are going to be there. So we have prepared all that from the beginning. Now it's only about giving your 100% and being there for the team." STORY: The Women's Cricket World Cup is set to crown a new champion on Sunday (November 2), when hosts India take on South Africa, as both teams look to culminate their month-long, nine-match campaign with a maiden global championship.     India are two-time finalists in the One-Day International world championship, having lost the 2005 and 2017 titles to Australia and England. They also lost the Women's Twenty20 World Cup final to Australia in 2020.     South Africa are playing a World Cup final for the third year in a row, having reached the T20 World Cup finals in 2023 and 2024, losing to Australia and New Zealand. However, this is the first time they have reached a World Cup final in the 50-over format.     India reached the semis as the fourth-best team in the league stage. But Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues helped India pull off the biggest successful chase in women's ODI history on Thursday, stunning seven-time champions and favourites Australia to reach the final.     South Africa, who beat India in the league stage last month, earned a dominant 125-run win over four-time champions England in Wednesday's semi-final, as captain Laura Wolvaardt put in a player-of-the-match performance, scoring 169 off 143 balls. (Production: Andy Ragg)

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