Women's World Cup 2025: Deepti Sharma's All-Round Masterclass Helps Team India Secure Convincing 59-Run Win Over Sri Lanka

Women's World Cup 2025: Deepti Sharma's all-rounder performance helped India clinch a commanding 59-run victory over Sri Lanka to start their Women's World Cup 2025 campaign on a good note at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.

Deepti Sharma was named the 'Player of the Match' following her stunning performance in the game with both bat and ball.

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl against India on Tuesday, September 30.

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Amanjot Kaur, Deepti Sharma Help India Put 269/8 In First Inning

The Women in Blue suffered an early blow after Smriti Mandhana (8 runs from 10 balls, 2 fours) was dismissed in the fourth over. After losing a quick wicket, Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol cemented a 67-run partnership, which gave India a moment to breathe.

An hour after the start of the first inning, rain played a spoilsport, following which play was stopped. Later, the match officials decided to reduce the overs. It became a 47-over game due to rain.

In the 20th over, India lost their second wicket after Inoka Ranaweera removed Pratika Rawal (37 runs from 59 balls, 3 fours and 1 six). Later, Harleen Deol had to make a 39-run partnership with Harmanpreet Kaur to take control of the game.

However, the 26th over changed the momentum in the first inning. Inoka Ranaweera delivered a fiery spell and bagged three wickets in a single over. Ranaweera removed Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Harmanpreet Kaur in the same 26th over.

Despite losing full control of the game, Deepti Sharma (53 runs from 53 balls, 3 fours) and Amanjot Kaur (57 runs from 56 balls, 5 fours and 1 six) solidified a 103-run partnership, which put India in the driver's seat again.

In the 43rd over, Udeshika Prabodhani dismissed Amanjot Kaur. But that didn't cause a problem for the Women in Blue, since Sneh Rana came on the crease and played a clutch knock. Sneh Rana played an unbeaten 28-run knock from 15 balls at a strike rate of 186.67 and helped India climb to 269/8.

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Deepti Sharma Leads India Bowling Attack To Bundle Out Sri Lanka At 211

During the run chase, Sri Lanka failed to stitch a partnership that would help them reach closer to the target. Chamari Athapaththu played a captain's knock in the second inning, scoring a 43-run knock from 47 balls. She also smashed four fours and three sixes during her time on the crease. Athapaththu was the top run-scorer among her teammates, but her lone performance was not enough for Sri Lanka to clinch a win in the tournament opener.

The Sri Lankan batters had to bow down to the Indian bowling attack. Nilakshi de Silva tried to play a clutch knock in the end, but she was bowled out by Sneh Rana in the 35th over.

In the fourth delivery of the 46th over, Pratika Rawal took the last wicket of the match as she dismissed Inoka Ranaweera for three runs. Only Udeshika Prabodhani stayed unbeaten on the crease at 14* as the Indian bowling attack bundled out Sri Lanka for 211 runs in 45.4 overs.

Deepti Sharma led the Indian bowling attack with her three-wicket haul in a 10-over spell. She gifted 54 runs at an economy rate of 5.40. Meanwhile, Sneh Rana and Shree Charani bagged two wickets each in their respective spells.