Due to the anticipated capacity audience at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, November 2, South African captain Laura Wolvaardt thinks India may face more anxieties.
According to Wolvaardt, the opposition’s heightened expectations may work in South Africa’s favor. To compete against the co-hosts, South Africa will need to be at the top of their game, she added, while also praising the Indian team’s quality.
“I believe it’s going to be a really exciting chance, especially with the entire stadium behind India, which is likely to be sold out. However, I also believe that it places a great deal of strain on them. They sort of anticipate to win because the entire nation is rooting for them. I believe that works to our advantage, hopefully. They are an excellent side.
ESPNcricinfo cited Wolvaardt as saying, “We’re going to have to play some really good cricket to beat them.”
When playing in a final, the top-order hitter used to be result-oriented, she said. On a high-stakes event like the Women’s World Cup final, she noted that staying focused on the future will be more beneficial than anything else.
Personally, I believe I’m making a concerted effort to ignore the outcome. I believe you naturally think of the trophy and winning during those finals, or the first time I was in the final, and you start to feel excited. Right now, my main goal is to remain [in the] here and now. We still have a very important match against a very good team. I’m trying to slow everything down a little bit and avoid thinking too far ahead. We must calm down and take a deep breath, and we hope that we can accomplish that as a team,” she continued.
South Africa placed third in the league after finishing with 10 points from seven games. They defeated England by an overwhelming 125-run margin in Guwahati to guarantee their spot in the final.
In the semi-final, Wolvaardt scored an incredible 169 runs off 143 balls, helping the Proteas defeat England with 319/7. South Africa knocked out England for a pitiful 194 in 42.3 overs, highlighted by a five-wicket haul (5/20 in 7 overs) from Marizanne Kapp, who was outstanding with the ball.
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