ICC Women's World Cup 2025 Final: Nadine De Klerk Says South Africa's Gritty Mentality Will Be Decisive Against India

South Africa's newfound never-say-die attitude can guide them to Women's World Cup glory, believes Nadine de Klerk ahead of Sunday's final against India.

Laura Wolvaardt's team could follow in the footsteps of the Proteas' men's team, who won the World Test Championship earlier this year – and win just the second major trophy in South Africa's international cricket history.

They trounced England by 125 runs in Wednesday's first semi-final, with India then joining them in the showpiece match with a thrilling win over Australia the following day.

Throughout South Africa's run at the tournament, De Klerk has provided several telling contributions, including match-winning knocks against India and Bangladesh in the group stage.

And De Klerk thinks South Africa's ability to dig out results against the odds is a recent development that can help them get over the line in a hostile atmosphere in Navi Mumbai.

"If we go back a couple of years, we would have probably ended up on the losing side," De Klerk told BBC Sport, reflecting on their narrow group-stage wins.

"It shows a bit of a different side to our team. Everybody's really hungry to win. But it's different to think that and another thing to actually show up and do the hard things.

"It's part of my DNA, being very feisty and quite aggressive and hating losing. Whenever I'm on a cricket field, I never feel it's over.

"Even if we need 12 or 14 [runs an over], I don't feel it's over. If you have wickets in hand and batters at the crease that are in, anything can happen.

"I sometimes feel cricket can be won mentally. You can have all the skills in the world, but if you don't believe it or you don't back it, then it's kind of pointless.

"We have the team, the mentality, the grit, the fight and the skills to beat any side on any given day."

There is guaranteed to be a new name on the trophy after Sunday's final, with India's previous best performances at the tournament being runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2017.

South Africa, meanwhile, had fallen at the semi-final stage on three occasions before reaching their first final this year.