We need to embrace the nerves and pressure, says Mandla Mashimbyi, ahead of the World Cup final

Proteas women’s coach Mandla Mashimbyi remains adamant that the processes that they’ve put in place in preparation for matches will help keep the team in the moment and not stray because of nerves and pressure.

Over the last three years, we have seen senior Proteas teams, both women and men, handle pressure very well. Be it in T20 World Cups, ODI World Cups or Test Championship finals, the Proteas have done very well.

South Africa will hope that this trend will continue as the Proteas women take on hosts India in the final of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.

Mashimbyi acknowledged that there will be pressure come Sunday, but remains confident that the processes that they have in place in preparation for matches will keep the players in the moment.

“Nerves are something that is innate with us as beings. I think what we need to do to make sure (we win) is understand that nerves are our ally, not our enemy,” Mashimbyi told the media on Friday.

“It's important that you actually do get the nerves because it shows that you care. But it's also embracing them and actually use that energy for good. Use that energy to elevate you. Use that energy to get you to perform at your best rather than to cut your legs off.

“I think the excitement of playing in the ODI final is definitely going to be there. But we've got our processes that we follow as a team. 

“Those processes are basically designed to keep us in the moment, in the best of times or most of the time. Then I know that if we can control those controllables, we give ourselves the best chance to actually win the match.” 

South Africa is currently reaping the rewards of their decision to rest star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp earlier this year, when the Proteas women toured Sri Lanka.

Kapp has been at her best in this showpiece event, and Mashimbyi believes resting her has helped keep the all-rounder fresh and ready for the big show.

“When we rested her before the Sri Lanka tour, it was obviously to make sure that come the World Cup, we don't have those types of chats in our team space,” Mashimbyi said.

“We wanted to get her as strong as she can be, and as you can see, in terms of how she's going about her business, she's bowled every game. There's no quota for her.

“She wants to bowl all the time. So, in terms of that, that's probably a process that we can tick and say it was a very good decision for us to actually leave her out of the Sri Lanka tour. 

“I think what's helping the whole thing is the fact that we're not talking about quotas, and how much she needs to bowl and manage her in any way.

“We're here to win a World Cup. We knew we've got nine games to play and then she needs to play all those games for us to have the best chance to win.”

The final is scheduled to get underway at 11.30 am SAST on Sunday in Navi Mumbai.