The grand finale of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 between India and South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, has been hit by persistent rain, delaying the toss and raising concerns of a longer wait before play begins.
What was expected to be a historic afternoon has briefly turned into a waiting game, with ground staff keeping covers on and spectators peering anxiously at gloomy skies.
Early Rain Timeline
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2.10pm local: Covers remain on, no movement from groundstaff.
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2.17pm local: Blue skies appear; covers begin coming off.
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2.23pm local: Umpires inspect the ground; puddles spotted near boundary.
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2.26pm local: Toss rescheduled to 3pm, start at 3:30pm.
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2.34pm local: Rain returns and covers come back; supersopper in action, umbrellas up again.
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4.55pm local / 09:25 GMT: Umpires walk out for inspection with umbrellas.
“It is BUCKETING DOWN folks!”
With umbrellas up and rain thundering down, officials have confirmed another delay. The drainage at DY Patil is strong, but continuous downpour is slowing recovery.
Nadine de Klerk: ‘Simplicity is everything’
South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk stressed calmness and clarity in approach ahead of the final:
“Simplicity is everything. We’ve done a lot of good things, so there’s no need to change anything now. It’s uncharted territory for both teams, and everyone is desperate to win today.”
Reflecting on the journey and momentum shift after their 69-all-out match, she added:
“Belief. We bounced back. Everyone knows their role, and a bad performance doesn’t define us. Yes, we beat India in the group stage, but today is a new day.”
Amanjot Kaur: ‘We are holding our nerves’
India’s Amanjot Kaur shared the mood inside the dressing room amid rain delays:
“We are very excited, but it’s raining outside and we are holding our nerves… we are getting bored and really excited to step out.”
On finishing the semifinal against Australia:
“I didn’t want to leave it again like the England game. I wanted to finish and I’m glad I did. Jemi and Harry di were amazing.”
Revealing her injury secrecy at home:
“My family still doesn’t know I was injured — they’ll know now through the media!”
What happens next?
Ground staff remain active, and officials are monitoring conditions. A reserve day is scheduled for Monday if required, but both teams and fans hope for play today.
The atmosphere remains electric despite the rain — India chasing a maiden title on home soil, and South Africa aiming to script historic glory of their own.
Fans wait. Players wait. The world waits.
