The curtain-raiser of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 gets underway on September 30th, with hosts India locking horns with co-hosts Sri Lanka at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The action begins at 3:00 PM (IST), setting the stage for an electrifying start to the tournament.
India arrives at the competition after an intense three-match ODI series against Australia, where they pushed the defending champions hard despite a 1-2 result. Their warm-up fixtures brought mixed fortunes—after a heavy 152-run defeat to England, they bounced back strongly to chase down New Zealand by four wickets, gaining valuable momentum ahead of the big opener.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, endured a less-than-ideal build-up. Their opening warm-up against Pakistan was washed out due to rain, while in their second game, they suffered a heartbreaking one-run defeat against Bangladesh, leaving questions around their consistency as they enter the tournament.
Squads:
India Women’s Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh (WK), Kranti Goud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Uma Chetry (WK), Sneh Rana
Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket Team
Chamari Athapaththu (C), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Imesha Dulani, Dewmi Vihanga, Piumi Wathsala, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Malki Madara, Achini Kulasooriya
Players to watch out:
Smriti Mandhana
The world’s No.1 ODI batter enters the World Cup in red-hot form. In the September series against Australia, she posted scores of 58, 117, and 125, underlining her dominance at the top. Rested during the warm-ups, Mandhana will be crucial in giving India explosive starts. Across 108 ODIs, she has amassed 4,888 runs at an average of 47.92, with a career-best of 136.
Kranti Goud
The young pace sensation has made an immediate impact since her debut. Against Australia, she delivered returns of 1/55, 3/28, and 1/56, showing her ability to strike at key moments. She continued her form in the warm-ups, bagging 3/31 against England and 2/31 versus New Zealand. In just 7 ODIs, she already has 14 wickets, with a best of 6/52.
Chamari Athapaththu
The Sri Lankan skipper carries the bulk of her side’s hopes. Though she struggled in the warm-ups with scores of 5 and 8, her record speaks volumes. In 115 ODIs, Athapaththu has piled up 3,877 runs, including a career-best 195, while also claiming 45 wickets with the best of 3/15. Her all-round presence remains invaluable.
Kavisha Dilhari
A genuine all-rounder, Dilhari was a standout performer in the warm-up against Bangladesh, scoring 63 runs and taking 2/24. With 32 ODIs under her belt, she has contributed 679 runs (best of 84) and taken 29 wickets (best of 4/20). She offers Sri Lanka balance in the middle order and with the ball.
Pitch:
The Barsapara surface is known for offering a fair contest between bat and ball. The average first-innings score hovers around 250, with teams typically losing 7 wickets per innings. Pacers enjoy early assistance, but as the match progresses, the surface tends to flatten, making stroke play easier. Captains winning the toss generally prefer to bowl first, capitalizing on early seam movement.
Weather:
Conditions in Guwahati are expected to be hot and humid, with the temperature around 35°C. There is a 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms, which could bring interruptions, while humidity levels may climb to 75%. Winds are forecast at a gentle 8 kph, which may provide some swing for fast bowlers.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Goud, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Chamari Athapaththu, Kavisha Dilhari, Inoka Ranaweera, Harshitha Samarawickrama
Match Details:
Date – September 30, 2025
Time – 3:00 PM IST
Venue – Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
Broadcast – Live streaming on JioHotstar; Telecast on Star Sports Network
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