India outclass Sri Lanka in rain-affected World Cup opener

India’s women’s cricket team opened their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Sri Lanka by 59 runs in the tournament’s curtain-raiser at Guwahati. The win marked a dominant start for the Indian side in the rain-affected match, setting a strong tone for the rest of their World Cup journey.

After being sent in to bat, India faced early trouble as top-order wickets fell within the power play. However, the innings stabilized thanks to a gritty and well-paced partnership between Amanjot Kaur (57) and Deepti Sharma (53). Their crucial 103-run stand for the fifth wicket lifted India from a precarious position and propelled the team to a fighting total of 270/8 in 47 overs, following a rain-induced reduction in overs.

While Sri Lankan spinner Inoka Ranaweera impressed with figures of 4/45, lapses in fielding, including key dropped catches, prevented her side from maintaining pressure throughout the innings.

Chasing 271, Sri Lanka began with promise. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu looked in good touch, scoring 43 runs, supported by Harshitha Samarawickrama (29). Together, they added 52 runs for the second wicket and kept Sri Lanka within striking distance of the required run rate.

However, once both set batters were dismissed, the Indian bowling attack tightened the screws. Deepti Sharma, supported ably by the seam and spin unit, kept breakthroughs coming at regular intervals. Sri Lanka’s middle and lower order crumbled under pressure, and the team was bowled out for 211 in 45.4 overs, falling well short of the target.

Speaking after the victory, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her side’s resilience:

“We didn’t start well with the bat, but the way Amanjot and Deepti rebuilt the innings was exceptional. It’s this kind of grit that defines successful tournament cricket.”

On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s skipper Chamari Athapaththu reflected on missed chances:

“We had the game in control at one stage, but crucial errors in the field and lack of partnerships cost us. We’ll need to regroup quickly.”

Deepti Sharma was named Player of the Match for her outstanding all-round performance, anchoring the innings with the bat and delivering a disciplined spell with the ball.

With this win, India has earned two crucial points and a confidence boost as they move further into the group stage. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, faces an uphill task and must bounce back strongly in their upcoming matches to remain in contention.