Harmanpreet Kaur & Co told to focus on ‘brand’ of cricket in IND-W vs SA-W World Cup final; Kapil Dev says ‘give us…’

Winning or losing is a part and parcel of the game but the discussion should be on the brand of cricket they play, said legendary Kapil Dev as he wished the Indian team ahead of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 final. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India are playing South Africa in the final, at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.

Termed as pre-tournament favourites, India started with two wins, but lost their track with three back-to-back losses. However, it was India's win over New Zealand and Australia that booked their final spot for the third time. “The current Indian team is very smart and the kind of cricket they are playing, they have taken the level of sport to a high,” Kapil said in a video.

If India's 340 against New Zealand was a teaser, their historic run chase against Australia, riding on knocks from Jemimah Rodrigues (127 not out) and Harmanpreet Kaur (89) gave South Africa a huge warning ahead of the summit clash.

Such was the impact of Jemimah's knock, Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Arun Dhumal put her on level with Kapil's innings against Zimbabwe in 1983. Chasing 339, India romped home with an over to spare.

“A lot of people are comparing the Indian women's cricket team's performance with that of the 1983 (World Cup-winning Indian side), but I am not in favour of that,” Kapil said, without pointing fingers on others.

Kapil Dev's special mention for Harmanpreet Kaur

In the first half of the tournament, Harmanpreet was subject to severe criticism due to lack of runs from her bat. In the first four matches, Harmanpreet couldn't even manage a 30-plus score. But the Indian captain changed gears to score to fifty-plus scores in the next three games.

“Harmanpreet Kaur needs special mention with the kind of cricket she is playing. I hope she plays even better in the final tomorrow,” added the 66-year-old before adding “I wish the Indian team play better cricket in the final. Win or lose is a part of the game, but the discussion should on the brand of cricket you play. I wish the whole Indian team all the very best and give us another day to enjoy.”