India is taking on Sri Lanka in the opening match of ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. The hosts were invited to bat first after losing the toss, but opening pair was broken pretty early on, and the middle-order batting collapse had alarm bells ringing.
The total number of overs for the innings were also reducted to 47 oweing to rain-interruption. Having said that, Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma’s heroics have now challenged the Sri Lankan women’s team to score 270 to win the match.
Batting Collapse Hampers Indian Innings
Smriti Mandhana opened for India with Pratika Rawal, departing after facing only 10 deliveries and scoring 8 runs. The latter would go on to score 37 runs off 59 balls.
Harleen Deol, on the other end, provided hope after the early wicket, but would hand over an easy catch on 48 runs. A batting collapse was triggered with this wicket.
Sri Lanka’s Inoka Ranaweera, who took Deol’s wicket, would clatter Jemimah Rodrigues’ stumps on the very next ball, and then take away the captain, Harmanpreet Kaur’s wicket in the penultimate ball of that over.
The Sri Lankan captain, Chamari Athapaththu, would then take over the ball, managing to send back Richa Ghosh on just 2 runs. From 120/2 in 25 overs, India was suddenly 124/6 in 27 overs.
Amanjot Kaur, Deepti Rebuild
Having said that, Amanjot Kaur (scoring 57 off 56) and Deepti Sharma (who made 53 off 53) were able to rebuild momentum, chipping in with regular boundaries and strike rotation that led to a 100-run partnership.
This contribution was key in helping the Women in Blue cross 200, a mark that was once seeming far-fetched in the innings. Eventually, the Indian women’s team managed to post 269 on the board, thanks to a quick-fire innings from Sneh Rana.
India-W vs Sri Lanka-W: Playing XI
IND – Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud, N. Sree Charani
SL – Chamari Athapaththu (C), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera
