New Delhi, Nov 2 (NationPress) India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana conveyed her optimism for the upcoming women’s World Cup final against South Africa, stating that “the dream of clinching the trophy is within reach” and that the entire team has been “meticulous with their preparations.”

A new champion will emerge as hosts India take on South Africa in the final on Sunday at DY Patil Stadium, marking the first time South Africa has reached this stage of the tournament.

India secured a remarkable five-wicket win over seven-time champions Australia in the second semifinal, paving the way for their clash with South Africa, who triumphed over England in the first semifinal.

This is South Africa's inaugural appearance in a Women’s World Cup Final, while India has previously competed in the finals of 2005 and 2017, finishing as runners-up to Australia and England, respectively.

“The World Cup is always significant, but hosting it at home adds a different dimension. I recall visiting the stadium a few months back for an advertisement shoot and standing on the balcony imagining how incredible it would be if we won here on the 2nd. Now, that dream is within reach. Our objective as a team is to focus entirely on the final, leaving behind everything that happened in the past or in the semifinals.

“Everyone has been diligent in their preparations, whether at the gym or during training. As players, we control how we prepare. I realize many dreams across India are linked to this final, and we will strive to fulfill those dreams because our fans will experience those moments through us,” Mandhana stated on JioHotstar.

Throughout the tournament, Mandhana has shattered a 26-year-old world record by scoring the highest runs in a calendar year in women's One-Day International cricket during a group match against South Africa on October 9. She also became the youngest and fastest player to reach 5000 runs in Women's ODIs during the match against Australia.

The 29-year-old accomplished this feat in her 112th Women’s ODI match with a six off Kim Garth of Australia, surpassing Stafanie Taylor (WI), who reached 5000 runs in 129 matches.

Additionally, she overtook New Zealand's Suzie Bates (13 hundreds) to rank as the second-highest century-maker in women's ODIs, with 14 centuries.

Regarding her individual ambitions for this World Cup, the opener remarked, “In this tournament, my sole aim was to contribute whatever the team required. Previously, I set personal targets for runs or milestones, but things seldom unfold as expected. This time, my focus was clear: to prioritize preparation and execution over numbers.

“The only statistic I want to see is ‘India has won the 2025 World Cup.” That would mean the most to me. As a batter, I’ve come to realize that overthinking in cricket is counterproductive; it’s all about reacting to the ball. The player who reacts best on the day will succeed. Therefore, it’s essential for me to stay calm, be present, and contribute in any way the team requires.”

Mandhana also reflected on India’s historic chase against Australia, stating, “I’m not accustomed to such emotions, but the positive energy throughout the team was palpable. All the girls are in a fantastic mental space, and crucially, everyone supports and celebrates each other's successes. I believe this kind of energy translates into our performance.”

“When Australia scored over 340 in the first innings, we still believed we could chase it down — we had done it before against them. The partnership between Jemimah and Harman was unforgettable. Honestly, watching from inside is more intense than playing! But what a remarkable effort from Jemimah, Harman, Richa, Deepti, and Amanjot — every contribution counted.

“While everyone's focusing on the chase, I think our bowlers’ fight between the 30th and 40th overs to limit Australia to 340 was equally commendable,” she concluded.