There is huge excitement building up for a monumental showdown as hosts India take on South Africa in the ODI World Cup final on Sunday in Navi Mumbai. The clash is set to witness an intense competition, with both sides eyeing a maiden world title and a new champion guaranteed to be crowned at the iconic venue.

India stormed into the final after a sensational five-wicket win over defending champions Australia. South Africa, meanwhile, sealed their place in the summit clash by outplaying England, marking their first-ever appearance in an ODI World Cup final. India boast an unbeaten record at this ground in the tournament, having defeated New Zealand in the league stage and Australia in the semifinal, with a solitary washed-out encounter against Bangladesh. Their familiarity with the conditions, coupled with passionate home support, could play a crucial role in handing India an upper hand in the contest.

For South Africa, this will be their first match at the venue, but the team has shown remarkable confidence throughout the competition. Their strong batting lineup and a disciplined bowling unit have helped them overcome every challenge en route to the final.

Notably, India have come heartbreakingly close before, finishing as runners-up in 2005 and 2017, losing to Australia and England, respectively. South Africa, on the other hand, have battled decades of near-misses and knockout disappointments to finally break the jinx and reach the title clash.

Head-to-head

Matches - 34

IND-W won - 20

SA-W won - 13

No result - 01

Weather forecast!

The forecast predicts a mix of sunny spells through the afternoon, offering pleasant breaks of sunshine between patches of cloud. However, a passing shower or two may interrupt the sunshine. As the evening progresses, cloud cover is expected to increase, bringing the possibility of a late-night downpour.

India possible XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh

South Africa possible XI: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba