India vs South Africa Women Predictions - Wolvaardt to lead Proteas to World Cup glory

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 4 hours ago

Simon Lewis 4 hours ago

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Laura Wolvaardt hit four sixes in her 143-ball 169 against England in the semi-final.
Smriti Mandhana (389 runs, ave 55.57) is 2nd in the World Cup runs list.
Can South Africa beat India to clinch their first-ever World Cup title?

Laura Wolvaardt, Chloe Tryon and Masabata Klaas celebrate beating England. (credit: Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

India vs South Africa Women Predictions

With home ground advantage, India are the favourites and have an on-fire batting lineup… although they will be under massive pressure to pull off the win. South Africa have a better balanced side, bat deeper and have a better catching record. The Proteas beat India by three wickets in their group match, and they are performing like champions, so I’m backing them to heal 32 years of World Cup heartbreak.

South Africa Women’s Laura Wolvaardt (470 runs, ave 67.14) is 1st in the World Cup runs list.
South Africa Women’s Marizanne Kapp has scored 56, 68* & 42 in her last 4 innings.
India Women’s Smriti Mandhana has scored 80, 88, 109, 34* & 24 in her last 5 innings.
India Women’s Jemimah Rodrigues hit 14 fours in her 134-ball 127* in the semi-final against Australia.

Head-to-Head

South Africa Women have won one and lost four of their last five matches against India Women… but they won the most recent match in their World Cup group meeting.

India Women Form

After ending their group commitments with three defeats, a win and an abandoned match, India produced one of their greatest-ever performances in beating favourites Australia in the semi-final by five wickets.

Australia dominated the Indian bowling to post a phenomenal 338 off 49.5 overs. Shree Charani (2/49) was the pick of the Indian bowlers.

India were struggling at 59/2 in the 10th over, but a world-class stand of 185 for the third wicket between Jemimah Rodrigues (127* off 134) and Harmanpreet Kaur (89 off 88) put them in the driving seat. They secured their five-wicket win with nine balls in hand.

India Women Team News

India Women are in superb form and are unlikely to make any changes to their team.

South Africa Women Form

South Africa bounced back from their dreadful performance against Australia by beating England by 125 runs, exacting revenge for the 10-wicket defeat by England in their opening match of the tournament.

Laura Wolvaardt played one of the all-time great World Cup innings, racking up 169 off 143 balls, with 20 fours and four sixes. She had excellent support from Tazmin Brits (45), Marizanne Kapp (42) and Chloe Tryon (33*) as South Africa posted an imposing 319/7 off their 50 overs.

South Africa fired out England’s first three batters for ducks on the way to an emphatic 125-run win to earn a place in the final. Marizanne Kapp was the destroyer-in-chief, returning the amazing figures of 7-3-20-5 (econ 2.85).

South Africa Women Team News

South Africa Women are in excellent form and are unlikely to make any changes to their team, although they have two batters who are light on runs.

Verdict

India Women v South Africa Women

I am backing South Africa Women to win. I am also backing Laura Wolvaardt to top score for South Africa Women, with Marizanne Kapp to be the Top Bowler.

Smriti Mandhana is a good bet to top score for the India Women.