Women's World Cup 2025: Match 1, India Women vs Sri Lanka Women Match Preview

Published - 29 Sept 2025, 14:39 IST | Updated - 29 Sept 2025, 15:11 IST

The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 is set to begin on Tuesday, September 30, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, with the opening clash between India Women (IND-W) and Sri Lanka Women (SL-W). Both the co-hosts will kick off the marquee tournament in front of a packed crowd in the beautiful city in the northeastern state of Assam.

India Women enter the competition after a narrow 1-2 series loss to Australia Women, but their recent form has been encouraging. They registered a memorable multi-format series win against England Women away from home, showcasing depth and resilience. With strong preparation behind them, the Indian side will be eager to seize the opportunity and lift the World Cup trophy for the very first time.

Sri Lanka Women, the other co-hosts, have also had valuable match practice through warm-up games. They reached the final of the ODI tri-series involving India and South Africa, though they fell short of clinching the title. With the home advantage and a determined squad, Sri Lanka will look to make history by claiming the prestigious trophy.

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati is renowned for being a batting-friendly surface. The pitch generally offers good bounce and carry, allowing batters to play their shots with confidence, particularly in the early stages of the innings. Fast bowlers may also find some assistance upfront due to the pace on offer. As the match progresses, the surface tends to slow down slightly, bringing spinners into play, though it largely remains favourable for batting throughout the contest.

Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur

Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (C), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Anushka Sanjeewani (WK), Kavisha Dilhari, Dewmi Vihanga, Piumi Wathsala, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Malki Madara