ODI World Cup: A new champion will be crowned when the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup on Sunday will see India and South Africa both chasing a historic first title at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. For the hosts, who won the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, a run to the final has been brightened by a stunning semi-final win over Australia, which in turn has electrified fans and reignited hopes of a lasting legacy for women’s cricket. Anjum Chopra, the former India captain, has been present at every game of the Indian as part of her commentary work in the tournament. Ahead of the final, Anjum took out some time from a hectic schedule to speak exclusively to IANS on the final, witnessing an epic semi-final win, its architects and more. Excerpts:- Q. From your vantage point, how do you see the Indian team shaping up for the final? A. So the crystal ball is something that I don't have. But there are very many indicators to feel confident about the fact that India should be in a good space getting into the final. That's about as essential as it is before starting a World Cup final. But the moment they cross those ropes and they're in it at the start of the game till the end, I think it will all have to be redone. All the good work will have to be redone all over again, because that's something where the scores start from 0-0. Of course, getting into the final, the confidence will be there, yet again when you are in a big game, you still have to play the ball to its merit, score runs or chase down the target. Q. What were your emotions while watching India win that semi-final over a mighty Australia? A. I was as calm as what I saw the chase to be and having this conversation with a couple of people from the Indian team as well on the ground later. I asked them, how did they maintain their calmness on and off the field? What they just told me; I reflected it back on what I was doing at that time during the contest. I will not say only about the last 20-30 runs. I'll say from the first ball of the match when Australia started and as Alyssa Healey and Phoebe Litchfield started batting, I was feeding off the energy from what I was witnessing on the ground from the Indian team. The way they were batting, fielding, and bowling, I thought it was very good and conscious awareness of remaining in the moment, contest, and being in the present. That was just a reminder and an indicator for me as well that whilst I'm watching the game as a broadcaster, obviously, I'm seeing it as a player also. But how to remain in that very moment and believe in the process that the team is showcasing out there in the centre in all possible manner, I was telling myself that it really doesn't matter how we start, or what is the middle phase. It was like let's wait till the end of the match, or the last ball of this 100-over contest is bowled and then we'll know what the result is. Let's not think of what is happening, whether it is good or bad. We'll see what the result of this match is, and that's how I played it out in the entire 100 overs. Q. Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 127 was not just a match-winning knock, but a statement of maturity and control. How do you see her shaping for the final? A. So, I personally feel that it (the lows Jemimah had before the Navi Mumbai leg began), happens to any and every cricketer. Any cricketer or sports person who comes into a team like an Indian team will find themselves in a situation where things are not going ideally the way that they would want it to be. For Jemimah also to find it out - it's not only Jemimah. I mean, there are players in this Indian team who have not even got a game. There are players who, when they come into the Indian team, even in the future, will find themselves in difficult scenarios. So, it's a very normal life for a person in a team, especially in an Indian team. But how you come out of it is obviously a very individual battle, as Jemimah put it rightly, that she was in tears almost every night right through this World Cup and various other things that she said. So, it's about how that player comes out and showcases on the stage that they are put on. She did very well in the game against New Zealand by getting a quality 70-odd runs (76 not out) in a crucial game. She did very well in the field, even when she was left out from the Indian eleven against England. Prior to that also, when she played in the game against Australia, she fielded really well. So, that was always up to her, how she manages her skill, and temperament, but how she has come out is for everyone to see. That's all credit to her and how she has made sure that when she comes out, she's able to deliver on that front. It's never been an alone journey. You don't rise in an individual manner, but you can fall as an individual. But when you look at that rise again, it's never an individual journey. There are many people who have assisted her. There are many people who would have helped her. It's a compliment to everyone by the kind of performance that she showcased on the ground. Q. Harmanpreet Kaur hit a crucial 89 in the semi-final. What is it about her game or mindset that allows her to hit those high notes in knockouts? A. It's nice. As I said, every moment of that game is something that I have very close to my heart, as to how that game was played out. Not only because the result makes it out to be so sweet, but the manner in which the cricket was played. Again, I say the way we started bowling, fielding, then the chase. So, when Harman came in at the fall of Smriti's wicket, I saw her walk from the dugout onto the centre, then how she was taking guard, stance and played that first run down the ground. From there on, I was very surprised that she got out the way she got out. I thought she would not make a mistake as she did in the game against England - 70 off 70. But probably there was a little concentration error or for whatever reason, she got out. But it was very special to see Indian cricket, and the women's cricket game, shift a gear or shift a base completely, not just a gear, but shift a base. It was just in terms of how the game was played out, how the result came out, how individuals have participated in getting this result for the Indian cricket team. This victory against Australia is a massive shift in the women's game in India and globally. The game has actually magnified this shift, with the result going India's way. Q. How do you see this Indian team going from the emotional high of a semi-final win to resetting for the final? A. Next morning, they would have been very normal. I mean, after the game, it was a high, they would have gone back and I'm sure there were celebrations and speeches. We saw a few that came out from the handle of the Indian women's cricket team. They would have celebrated, gone back to their rooms, and slept. Next morning at breakfast, it might have been smiles. But I'm pretty certain that by next afternoon, everything would have been back to normal. Because a team or players who would have prepared in the manner they would have to get this sort of result would not let them go out of that zone for too long a time. Winning, for me, possibly what I look at this Indian team is wanting this to become a habit. Once you're getting into that zone, it doesn't matter whether you're playing the number one, two or eight team in the world. Once winning starts becoming a practice and a habit, that's when you make that shift in a year. So you do know what are the highs, what can be the lows, and how do you find that balance? So I'm pretty certain that by next afternoon, or late morning, once the players would have woken up and gone for breakfast, etc, they would have been back to where they should be before another contest. Q. How do you assess the importance of Deepti Sharma and Marizanne Kapp in terms of impact across various phases in the final? So you do know what are the highs, what can be the lows, and how do you find that balance? So I'm pretty certain that by next afternoon, or late morning, once the players would have woken up and gone for breakfast, etc, they would have been back to where they should be before another contest. Also Read: LIVE Cricket ScoreThat's the kind of contribution that you want from a cricketer. So with experience, skill, and everything, both Marizanne and Deepti will become very crucial. How South Africa looks at Marizanne to getting her wickets and then the runs, Deepti is also looked at as a player who will get them the wickets and get the runs and play an important role in the field as well. Article Source: IANS