ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Opening Match: India vs Sri Lanka Sets New Attendance Record in Guwahati

ICC Women’s World Cup 2025  opening match  between India and Sri Lanka sets a new record . The fixture played in the ACA stadium, Guwahati was attended by 22843 fans which is a record for any group stage match in Women’s Cricket World Cup. The previous record of 15,935 was set during the India-Pakistan ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Group A match in 2024.

Tribute to Zubeen Garg at the  ICC Women’s World Cup Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony of the ICC Women’s World Cup in Guwahati began with a deeply moving musical tribute to late Zubeen Garg, Assam’s cultural icon. Acclaimed singers-performers like Papon, Joi Barua, Shreya Ghosal and the renowned Shillong Chamber Choir delivered gripping renditions of Zubeen’s most celebrated works, honouring his legacy in front of an emotional home crowd.

During the opening ceremony of the ICC Women’s World Cup, the stadium resonated with “Joy Zubeen Da!” chants as fans waved banners in homage to the late singer. Shreya Ghosal paid tribute to the late music icon with his iconic number “Mayabini Ratir Bukut”.Before the start of the match, the BCCI also felicitated former stalwarts of Indian women’s cricket.

India begins the ICC Women’s World Cup campaign with a victory

India has begun the ICC Women’s World Cup campaign with a massive victory over Sri Lanka with the help of all-round performance by Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Amanjot Kaur. The overall performance by the Indian cricketers led India to a 59-run victory (DLS method) over co-hosts Sri Lanka in the rain interrupted opening match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Deepti Sharma herself scripted history by becoming the first Indian bowler to score a fifty and take a three-wicket haul in an ICC World Cup match. Alongside Amanjot, she played a pivotal role at a crucial point.

In the ICC Women’s World Cup Opening, India as  struggling at 124/6.But the team recovered through a superb 103-run partnership between Amanjot Kaur (57) and Deepti Sharma (53). Their partnership geared up the efforts of the team before Sneh Rana’s explosive cameo of 28* off 15 balls lifted India to 269/8 in a rain-affected, 47-overs-a-side game.

In bowling too, the Women in Blue delivered to near perfection. While Deepti Sharma bowled 10 overs and picked up 3 wickets for 54 runs, Sneh Rana was outstanding with 2-32 from her 10 overs. Young spinner N Shree Charani took 2 wickets for 37 runs as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 211 in 45.4 overs. Amanjot, playing as the second seamer alongside Kranti Gaud, also played an important role with 1-37.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s chase mirrored India’s early struggle as they were 45/1 in nine overs. Captain Chamari Athapaththu (43) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (29) added 52 for the second wicket, while Nilakshika Silva’s quick 29-ball 35 was the only late resistance. They were well-placed at 140/6 but could not produce a lower-order fightback.

Earlier, India began with a caution after being put in to bat. While opener Smriti Mandhana fell early for eight, Pratika Rawal (37) and Harleen Deol (48) steadied the innings, taking India to 43/1 in 10 overs. Then rain halted the match for more than an hour which resulted the match reduced to 47 overs per side.

At the restart, Sri Lanka’s Inoka Ranaweera turned the game on their side by claiming three wickets in five balls in the 26th over, dismissing Deol (48), Jemimah Rodrigues (0) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (17). She eventually finished with 4-46 as India slumped to 124/6.Many thought at this moment that India could not even reach 200.

However, then Amanjot and Deepti rebuilt the innings with discipline and patience, adding 103 runs off 99 balls. Amanjot, playing her first World Cup match, showed composure despite being dropped two times. She eventually fell to a fine boundary catch by Vishmi Gunaratne, but by then, India had already regained momentum.

Deepti’s steady half-century and Sneh Rana’s late assault ensured India ended on a high. Rana’s aggressive stroke play, coupled with Deepti’s solidity, gave the bowlers a strong total to defend.

Sri Lanka’s fielding woes added to their downfall, as they dropped nearly half a dozen catches, allowing India to regain the lost momentum in the match. Their batters, too, went into a shell in the middle overs, failing to find the boundary for over 50 deliveries, which sealed their fate for the day.

Brief scores of the ICC Women’s World Cup Opening:

India defeated Sri Lanka by 59 runs (DLS method) .
India posted 269/8 in 47 overs, powered by Amanjot Kaur’s 57, Deepti Sharma’s 53, Harleen Deol’s 48, and an unbeaten 28 from Sneh Rana. For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera (4/46) and Udeshika Prabhodhani (2/55) were the pick of the bowlers.

In reply, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 211 in 45.4 overs, despite Chamari Athapaththu’s 43 and Nilakshika Silva’s 35. Deepti Sharma (3/54), Sneh Rana (2/32), and N. Shree Charani (2/37) led India’s bowling attack.

Disclaimer:
The information presented in this article about the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 opening match between India and Sri Lanka is based on available reports and official data at the time of publication. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, figures and details may be updated as more verified information becomes available from official ICC sources. 

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