KUALA LUMPUR: Unbeaten so far in the tournament, a dominant India will start as overwhelming favourite to win its second consecutive title when it takes on South Africa in the final of the Women’s U19 T20 World Cup here on Sunday.
India has had a flawless campaign so far, winning all its six matches in the tournament.
The Niki Prasad-led side has been in red-hot form across departments. India registered dominating wins over the West Indies (9 wickets), Malaysia (10 wickets), Sri Lanka (60 runs), Bangladesh (8 wickets), Scotland (150 runs) and England (9 wickets in the semifinal).
In-from opener Gongadi Trisha has been in ominous form with the bat, and is the highest run-getter in the tournament with 265 runs in six innings at an average of 66.25. She is followed by her left-handed opening partner G Kamalini, who is third in the list with 135 runs in six innings at an average of 45.
But the worrying factor for India would be the lack of time and opportunity at the crease for the middle-order, as most of the runs have been scored by the openers.
On the bowling front too, the Indians are ruling the roost, with the slow left-arm orthodox duo of Vaishnavi Sharma and Aayushi Shukla occupying the top spots on the wicket-takers' list.
While Vaishnavi is leading with 15 scalps at an average of 3.40, her team-mate Aayushi has picked up 12 wickets in the competition so far at an average of 5.91.
The duo is expected to play a crucial role in the final as well on the slow, turning wickets here.
South Africa, on the other hand, qualified for its first-ever ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup final following an impressive five-wicket win over Australia in the semifinal and will be looking to upset the Indians en route to the title.