Guwahati, Sep 30: India launched their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 campaign with a confident 59-run victory (DLS method) over Sri Lanka at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday (September
30).
The win, built on a mix of grit and counterattacking brilliance, showcased India's batting depth and their bowlers' ability to dismantle Sri Lanka with control and discipline.
India's batting depth shines despite middle-order collapse
India's innings was a tale of resilience. After losing Smriti Mandhana early, Pratika Rawal (37) and Harleen Deol (48) steadied the ship with measured partnerships. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (21 off 19) looked threatening before being dismissed, while Jemimah Rodrigues fell cheaply.
At 124/6, India were in deep trouble, with Sri Lanka's left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera (4/46) running through the middle order. But the decision to pack the batting order paid dividends. Seasoned campaigner Deepti Sharma (53) and Amanjot Kaur (57)* - making her World Cup debut - turned the match around with a 103-run seventh-wicket stand, counterattacking with intent and composure. Their partnership not only revived the innings but also gave India momentum.
Adding further impetus, Sneh Rana (28 off 15 balls)* provided a late flourish to propel India to 269/8 in 47 overs, a total that would prove well beyond Sri Lanka's reach. The spread of contributions - from Rawal's steady start to Deepti and Amanjot's recovery act, and Rana's explosive cameo - underlined India's newfound batting depth.
India's bowling attack seals the game with discipline and variety
Defending 269, India's bowlers approached the task with precision, making sure Sri Lanka were never allowed to settle into rhythm. While the only real threat came through a second-wicket stand between Chamari Athapaththu (43) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (29), India struck back decisively to derail the chase.
Deepti Sharma (3/54) was once again the standout, complementing her batting heroics with a spell that broke Sri Lanka's backbone. She dismissed Athapaththu just as the skipper looked set to anchor the innings, before removing two more batters in the middle overs with clever changes of pace and subtle drift.
On her World Cup debut, Shree Charani (2/37) impressed with her fearless approach, sticking to disciplined lines and lengths. She trapped Samarawickrama lbw with a skiddy delivery and later added another scalp, announcing her arrival on the big stage.
Sneh Rana (2/32) underlined her all-round value, flighting the ball smartly to lure batters into mistakes. She removed the dangerous Nilakshi de Silva and maintained control through the middle overs, restricting Sri Lanka's scoring rate.
Amanjot Kaur (1/37) and Pratika Rawal (1/6) chipped in with breakthroughs at crucial moments, while Kranti Gaud's opening spell helped build pressure at the top by offering no freebies.
Despite nine Sri Lankan batters reaching double figures - a Women's ODI joint record - none managed to convert starts into a defining innings. Sri Lanka eventually folded for 211 in 45.4 overs, falling well short of their target.
Records and milestones
Nine Sri Lankan batters scored in double digits, equaling a Women's ODI record.
Chamari Athapaththu has now top-scored for Sri Lanka 38 times in 116 ODIs.
Deepti Sharma became only the fourth Indian woman to score a fifty and take 3 wickets in the same ODI.
India's victory reflected maturity - a team capable of weathering collapses and responding with depth in both batting and bowling. The decision to go in with just five frontline bowlers was vindicated by the cushion provided by their batting order, and the collective bowling effort showed balance and variety.
For Sri Lanka, the disappointment of a faltering chase will be tempered by the prospect of playing their next four matches at home in Colombo, where familiar conditions may aid a turnaround.
