NEW DELHI: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said on Saturday that her team has endured the pain of defeat in the past but is now ready to experience the joy of winning a world title, ahead of their ICC Women’s World Cup final against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday.
India and South Africa will meet in the summit clash, ensuring a new name joins the list of world champions alongside former winners Australia, England, and New Zealand.
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‘We know how it feels to lose,’ Harmanpreet
“We know how it feels to lose, but now we want to know what it feels like to win,” Harmanpreet said to the meia. “Hopefully, tomorrow is a special day for us. We have worked really hard, and it’s about putting everything together for the team.”
She added that the team’s best performances have always come when they play with joy and freedom. “Whenever we have enjoyed our cricket and given our best, the results have gone our way. It’s a proud moment for me and the entire team, and I’m sure the whole country is proud of the way we’ve played the last two games.”
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Ready for the big stage
India will be playing their third Women’s ODI World Cup final, having finished runners-up in 1998 against Australia and again in 2017 against England. They also narrowly missed out on gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, losing to Australia in the final.
“When you’re at a stage like the World Cup final, there’s no greater motivation,” she said. “The team is fully charged up, everyone is supporting one another, and that shows how ready we are. We’ve known for a long time that this World Cup would be at home, and now it’s all about giving 100 per cent.”
Harmanpreet also welcomed the prospect of a new champion being crowned on Sunday night. “It’s good to see two different teams in the final. We’ve seen Australia dominate world cricket for so long, and England have also been there. This time, the excitement is different,” she said.
(With PTI Inputs)
