India, South Africa create history with first-ever all-new finalists

The 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup has already made history, as the final will not include Australia or England, marking the first time the tournament’s last match won’t feature either team, who had appeared in all previous finals.

The Women’s Cricket World Cup will witness a historic final for the first time in its 52-year history, as India and South Africa prepare to face each other on Sunday, November 2, at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This will be the first Women’s World Cup final without Australia or England. Since the tournament began in 1973, at least one of these two sides has always made it to the final in the previous 12 editions, making this year’s final truly historic.

South Africa secured their first-ever World Cup final spot after defeating England in the first semi-final. Meanwhile, India delivered a stunning performance in the second semi-final by beating defending champions Australia. This victory also broke Australia’s remarkable streak, as it was their first defeat in 16 ODI World Cup matches.

India chased a record target in women’s ODI history to enter the final. Jemimah Rodrigues played a sensational unbeaten knock of 127 runs, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur supported with a brilliant 89. Together, they guided India to successfully chase 339 with nine balls remaining, showcasing calmness under pressure and exceptional batting depth. India has previously reached the final twice but has never lifted the trophy. On the other hand, this will be South Africa’s maiden appearance in the final, meaning a new world champion is guaranteed this year.

This moment marks a significant shift in women’s cricket and highlights the growing strength of emerging teams. Australia still remain the most successful side in the tournament’s history with seven titles, followed by England with four and New Zealand with one. As excitement builds, cricket fans around the world are now eagerly waiting to see whether India finally wins its first title or South Africa scripts a fairytale victory in their debut final.