Hosts and two-time runners-up India Women started the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 journey with a strong 59-run (DLS method) win against Sri Lanka at Guwahati in the tournament opener on Tuesday (September 30) night. All-rounder Deepti Sharma was the star of the Indian team, setting a new record for the team in tournament history.
After Sri Lanka Women chose to field first, India Women were once struggling at 124/6, as they lost the last four wickets for only four runs, losing three wickets in a single over. However, with the century partnership for the seventh wicket between Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur, and Sneh Rana’s late cameo, India Women scored 269/8 in 47 overs.
While Sri Lanka Women had a revised target of 271 runs in 47 overs, they were all out for 211 runs in 45.4 overs. Among the Lankan batters, only the skipper Chamari Athapaththu (43), Harshitha Samarawickrama (29), and Nilakshika Silva (35) managed to reach the 20-run mark in that innings.
Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur stunned with late partnership
Although the opener Smriti Mandhana (8) was dismissed cheaply, another opener Pratika Rawal (37) and Harleen Deol (48) provided a strong start before a batting collapse. Struggling at 124/6, Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur set up a game-changing 103-run partnership for the seventh wicket. While Kaur scored 57 off 56 balls with five fours and one six, Deepti scored 53 runs at a run-a-ball with three fours. Later, Sneh Rana played a crucial cameo of 28 not out off just 15 balls with two fours and two sixes.
While the 103-run partnership was the second-highest seventh or any lower-wicket partnership for any team in Women's World Cup history, it was also India Women’s second-highest seventh or any lower-wicket partnership in Women’s ODI history.
Among the Indian bowlers, Deepti Sharma had the bowling figures of 10-1-54-3, while Sneh Rana had the bowling figures of 10-0-32-2, and Sree Charani had the bowling figures of 8-0-37-2.
