Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning hopes to celebrate her birthday 24 hours late by leading her side to the inaugural Women's Premier League crown.
But the woman who's won it all as Australia's captain knows her side will have to play their "best game with both the bat, the ball, and fielding as well" to beat the "dangerous" Mumbai Indians in Sunday's title showdown.
Lanning, who turned 31 on match eve on Saturday, said that both Delhi and Mumbai, who are skippered by her Indian counterpart Harmanpreet Kaur, are deserved finalists.
The Capitals pipped the Indians to finish atop the points table on net run-rate and earned direct qualification for the summit clash.
"Both Mumbai and Delhi have been pretty consistent throughout the tournament, played some really good cricket," Lanning said on Saturday at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium, venue for the final.
In the league stage, Mumbai, who made the final after routing Alyssa Healy's UP Warriorz by 72 runs at the DY Patil Stadium in Friday's 'eliminator', thumped Capitals by eight wickets at the same venue.
In the return match, Capitals reversed the result, courtesy of a nine-wicket victory shepherded by Marizanne Kapp and Lanning herself.
"We've had good contests throughout the tournament," said Lanning, the highest run-getter of the tournament who's averaged 51.66 for her tally of 310.
"So, that's a really exciting thing for the competition. I'm just really looking forward to taking on a really good team."
Lanning stressed that losing two of their eight games in the league stage - the second to the Gujarat Giants by 11 runs - and then recovering well enough to become the first-ever finalists of the WPL offered her side perspective.
"We haven't had things go all our way," Lanning said. "We've learned a lot about this tournament. too.
"So I feel like that prepares us really nicely for a high-pressure game tomorrow night and we've just got to go out there and play our best cricket.
"What we have done through the tournament is played with a smile on our face and really enjoyed it and that's certainly what I'll be encouraging the girls to do tomorrow night - enjoy the experience, embrace it.
"Who knows if we'll get back here again? So, we need to make the most of the opportunity and go out there have some fun and the result will take care of itself."
Weighing in on the impact of the WPL, which has enjoyed attendances of over 30,000 for multiple matches, Lanning drew parallels with the WBBL in Australia.
"The WBBL has played a massive role in the development of cricket in Australia and around the world as well," the Australia captain said.
"It provides great opportunities for young players and exposes everyone to pressure situations.
"That's certainly played a big role in the success of the Australian team, and the WPL here is doing exactly the same thing.
"It's been so good to know some of the local Indian players and work alongside them to try and develop cricket here in India and around the world.
"I have no doubt the WPL will continue to get bigger and grow, and that will absolutely impact the way cricket's played here in India and around the world and certainly keep making the game better."
India captain Harmanpreet echoed her opposite number.
"Maybe after two-three years, we will start seeing the results (of the WPL's success) also." Harmanpreet said.
"I am quite positive that in the future, the way Australia is doing well, our Indian talent is also going to do well."
