South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt believes India could encounter additional jitters on Sunday, November 2, due to expected crowds on the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
Wolvaardt said the increased expectations from the opposition could see them playing into South Africa’s hands. However, she also praised the quality that the Indian team possesses and noted that South Africa will have to be at the top to compete with the co-hosts.
“I think [with] the whole crowd behind India, probably a sold out stadium, it will be a very exciting opportunity. But at the same time, I think it also puts a lot of pressure on them. They have the whole country behind them and they more or less expect to win. I think it will hopefully work to our advantage. They are a very good side. We will have to play really good cricket to beat them,” Wolvaardt said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
The top-order batswoman noted that she would be more results-oriented while playing a final. She pointed out that staying in the future will help more than anything in an event where the stakes are as high as the Women’s World Cup final.
“I think personally I try not to think about the result. I think in those finals – or the first time I was in the final – you automatically think about the trophy and you think about winning and then you get excited. Now I just try to stay real [in the] gift. We still have a really big game ahead of us against a really quality team. I try not to think too far ahead; just really slow down a bit. “We’re going to have to slow down and take a deep breath, and hope we can do that as a group,” she added.
South Africa finished the league phase with 10 points from seven games and finished third in the table. They secured their place in the final by beating England by a whopping 125 runs in Guwahati.
Wolvaardt played a stunning 143-ball, 169-run knock in the semi-final as the Proteas finished with 319/7 on the board against England. Marizanne Kapp played with the ball with a five-wicket haul (5/20 in 7 overs) as South Africa bowled out England for a paltry 194 in 42.3 overs.
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