Gritty half-centuries from Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma helped India recover from a precarious position to post a competitive 269/8 against Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 opener at the ACA Stadium on Monday.
After being reduced to 124/6 following a fiery spell led by Inoka Ranaweera, who claimed four wickets, Amanjot (57) and Deepti (53) stitched together a crucial 103-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Their partnership laid the foundation for a late flourish, which included a brisk cameo from Sneh Rana, who smashed 28 off just 15 balls, hitting two boundaries and two sixes to push India past the 250-run mark in a rain-curtailed 47-over match.
At press time, Sri Lanka were 26 without loss in 6 overs.
Earlier, Ranaweera dramatically shifted the momentum in Sri Lanka’s favour by dismissing Harleen Deol (48), Jemimah Rodrigues (0), and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (21) within five balls, leaving India in deep trouble at 121/5.
The veteran spinner became the second-oldest woman to take a four-wicket haul in ODIs — and the oldest to do so in a Women’s Cricket World Cup match.
Adding to India’s woes, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu dismissed Richa Ghosh (2), thanks to a sharp catch at cover by Udeshika Prabodani. The flurry of wickets came after the match was reduced to 48 overs per side following an hour-long rain delay.
Soon after play resumed, Pratika Rawal’s steady 37 off 59 balls came to an end when she stepped out to Ranaweera and was caught at deep midwicket by Vishmi Gunaratne, who held on at the second attempt. That dismissal ended India’s 50-run stand.
Earlier in the innings, Prabodani gave Sri Lanka a strong start by removing Smriti Mandhana (8) in the powerplay. Attempting to loft the ball over the off-side field, Mandhana ended up slicing it to deep cover, where Vishmi juggled but eventually completed the catch.
Chamari Athapaththu had won the toss and elected to field first in Sri Lanka’s tournament opener.
The day began on a poignant note with an emotional tribute to Assam’s cultural icon and legendary singer Zubeen Garg, who tragically passed away by drowning in Singapore on September 19.
His sudden demise plunged the state into mourning, especially as Zubeen was beloved not only for his musical genius but also for his deep involvement in sports, particularly football and cricket.
The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) dedicated the ICC Women’s World Cup opening ceremony to Zubeen’s memory, with a special 40-minute segment celebrating his contributions to music and culture.
Popular Bollywood singer Angarag “Papon” Mahanta, a close friend of Zubeen, delivered a moving performance of “Maya Mathu Maya.” As he sang, the stadium — filled with around 20,000 spectators — joined in unison, chanting “Joi Zubeen Da” in a heartfelt homage.
Bollywood’s melody queen Shreya Ghoshal, who also sang the World Cup theme song, opened the proceedings with a stirring rendition of the National Anthem. She returned during the mid-innings break for a special tribute, performing Zubeen’s iconic track “Mayabini” — a song the late singer had once wished his fans would sing as a farewell.