Big Picture: Unbeaten sides, solid bowling units
It might only be edition number two, but India have asserted themselves as the team to beat in this competition. They have outclassed every team in their path to the finals, and have looked stronger than the title-winning squad in 2023 with two capped internationals under Shafali Verma.
That South Africa’s story in World Cups has moved from falling short of finals to falling short in finals might be considered progress in itself.
After two consecutive senior women’s T20 World Cup final appearances in as many years, and just as many heartbreaks, South Africa have set their sights on the Under-19 women’s team to bring home a first women’s title, just as India did in 2023.
Form guide
India WWWWW (last five completed games, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWW
In the spotlight: G Trisha and Jemma Botha
Botha might have been competing for similar honours had South Africa’s batters batted more than the 26.5 overs they did in the entire tournament leading up to the semi-final. Her 37 off 24 with five fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 154 in the semi-final against Australia gave South Africa a crucial head start that proved to be decisive in what could have been a tricky chase.
Team news
Both teams are likely to stick with the same XIs from their respective semi-finals.
India (probable): 1 G Trisha, 2 G Kamalini (wk), 3 Sanika Chalke, 4 Nikki Prasad (capt), 5 Ishwari Awasare, 6 Mithila Vinod, 7 Aayushi Shukla, 8 VJ Joshitha, 9 Shabnam Shakil, 10 Parunika Sisodia, 11 Vaishnavi Sharma
South Africa (probable): 1 Jemma Botha, 2 Simone Lourens, 3 Kayla Reyneke (capt), 4 Karabo Meso (wk), 5 Fay Cowling, 6 Mieke van Voorst, 7 Seshnie Naidu, 8 Luyanda Nzuza, 9 Ashleigh van Wyk, 10 Monalisa Legodi, 11 Nthabiseng Nini
Pitch and conditions: Spin to win
The Bayumeas Oval in Kuala Lumpur has two surfaces prepared with soil imported from Darwin, Australia, and another two with local red soil. Matches have been played on both pitches in the tournament, with the red-soil pitches offering more turn, like the game between India and Sri Lanka. The Australian soil pitches (numbers 2 and 3) have been conducive for run-scoring and yet sporting, like pitch No. 2 was for Friday’s semi-final. Pitch No. 3 will be used for the final, and should play similarly.
Regardless of the pitch, India’s three left-arm spinners have been outstanding, having taken 35 wickets between them, including all eight in the semi-final. South Africa will need to find a way to score down the ground against them, given the success that Aayushi Shukla, Parunika Sisodia and Vaishnavi Sharma have had against batters sweeping. South Africa’s batters are the second-best team after India against spin, averaging 20.3.
South Africa’s spinners also accounted for six of the eight Australian wickets in the first semi-final, with Reyneke (10) leading their wicket-takers list at an average of 5.50.
While rain has been around all tournament, more so in Johor and Kuching than in Kuala Lumpur, the forecast for Sunday’s final is clear with temperatures reaching a high of 32 degreesCelsius and humidity around 60%. There is a reserve day for the final.
Stats and trivia
- Together, G Trisha and G Kamalini have scored approximately 75% of India’s total runs. Sanika Chalke is the only other batter to have faced more than 20 balls, leaving the middle order largely untested.
Raunak Kapoor is deputy editor (video) and lead presenter for ESPNcricinfo. @RaunakRK
