India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said that she and the other players were looking forward to find out how it felt to win a global title, if they cross the line in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup final against South Africa at the D.Y.Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
“We know how it feels to lose, but we are really looking forward to seeing how it feels after we win. Hopefully, this day tomorrow will be special for us. We will give our best and play our best cricket. We have worked very hard so far. It’s only about getting everything tomorrow for the team,” Harmanpreet said at the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
The 36-year-old, who was part of the side which lost to England in the 2017 final and later captained India to a runners-up finish at the 2020 T20 World Cup, said that the team had put in the hard yards to reach this far and it was now about getting things right on the big day. This will be India’s third ODI World Cup final after 2005 and 2017 and their first-ever global tournament final at home.
Harmanpreet admitted that it was good to see teams outside of Australia and England make it to the final as it generated a lot more excitement among the fans. She added that she was happy to see an increased demand for tickets for the summit clash.
“It’s nice to see two different teams. Because we have seen for many years that Australia has been dominating in world cricket. England was also at the same stage. I am happy to see two different teams, because of that we can see more excitement. It is very special for us to reach the finals.”
“Not only for us, but for Indian fans also. Because they have been the biggest support for us – and about the tickets- you know how it is. But yeah, I mean, there are rarely a few days when there’s pressure for these small things. So I think it’s good that not only cricket but there is pressure for tickets also,” she said.
‘I’m the first person to cry’
After the win over Australia in the semi-final, TV cameras caught an emotional Harmanpreet shedding tears.
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“I think I’m a very emotional person, and I cry a lot. So it’s not like I cry only after losing. I have cried a lot after winning too. Maybe yesterday you saw me on television. But my teammates have seen me in the dressing room many times – on small occasions, whenever we have done well. I am the first person to cry.”
“As a player, these moments are very important. To beat a team like Australia, which is a big team and has always done well on the world stage. It’s not an easy thing to perform mentally strong in front of them. But I think overcoming that hurdle was something very special to all of us,” she said.
