India chase a historic breakthrough

An opportunity of a lifetime awaits Harmanpreet Kaur and her team at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday. The Indian women’s team have been in World Cup finals before, but nothing can compare to the experience that awaits them when they take the field against South Africa.

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

Nothing can be bigger than a home World Cup final. And India have earned the chance witha win over Australia for the ages. The onus is on them to cash in.

The 2025 event will marka big shift in women’s cricket as a new ODI World Cup winner will be crowned, South Africa having knocked out England in the other semis. It's also the first ODI World Cup final that won't feature Australia or England.

Both finalists struggled in the league phase, but importantly have peaked at the right time. India were on the brink ofan early exitafter three defeats ina row. SA overcame two nightmarish batting collapses, 69 all out vs England and 97 all outvs Australia.

Having achieved the almost impossible by beating Australia, India have already experienced an unbelievable high. After the emotional semifinal win, the home team players’ challenge will be to regain equilibrium. There'sa risk of getting swept by the euphoria and hence it's important to stay in the present. To seize the moment, it will be vital to stay focused.