The Indian women’s cricket team is gearing up for a high-voltage encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. After opening their campaign with a commanding 59-run victory over co-hosts Sri Lanka, India will look to continue their winning momentum when they take on Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
In stark contrast, Pakistan suffered a setback in their tournament opener, falling to Bangladesh. The Indian side, therefore, enters the fixture as firm favorites, especially given their unbeaten record against Pakistan in the women’s 50-over World Cup, having triumphed in all four previous encounters between the two sides.
Speaking ahead of the crucial match, India’s bowling coach Amol Salvi emphasized the importance of composure and clarity in approach. “The area of focus is also cricket again, where we want our girls to get their A game on the day, and we want them to take it just as a game, because the World Cup is a long campaign.
“There will be a lot of games coming our way. So, take it day by day, however it is. Work on your strategies, work on your plans, be clear with whatever you want to achieve as a group and individually, and just execute it, and just be calm and composed.”
One of India’s standout strengths this tournament has been the depth and variety in their bowling attack. Salvi revealed that the team has as many as 10 bowling options available, offering the flexibility to rotate players as required throughout the long campaign.
“Coming into the tournament, we have around 10 bowling options. It’s a long campaign and we may need the services of any of them. So, whenever rest or recovery is required, we will manage it accordingly.”
The spin department remains India’s biggest weapon, spearheaded by the experienced duo of Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana. Their familiarity with each other and recent form provide India with a well-balanced and confident bowling unit.
“It’s a very good combination with both experience and freshness. They’ve been playing together for the last three-four series, and the chemistry is really working well for us. Depending on the conditions, we will take a call on which spinners to play. With the kind of options we have, not just the five primary bowlers but also others who have done well internationally, picking wickets as well as maintaining economy, we feel very confident about our attack,” he said.
India’s previous match showcased their depth in all-round talent. Deepti Sharma played a pivotal role, scoring a valuable 53 runs lower down the order and taking three wickets, while Sneh Rana chipped in with two crucial dismissals.
Praising their contribution, Salvi highlighted the hunger and discipline of his spin trio. “If you have seen, they have been playing together since the last three to four series. And if you’ve seen, their combination is really working well for us. And also, they are all very hardworking girls. They are working well during the practice sessions, during the games.
Post-games also, the interactions are with them, where they want to improve, and what they want to improve, and how they want to improve are the questions around which these three are working. So, I see that they are very hungry to go out there and give their best for the country,” he concluded.
The upcoming match at R. Premadasa Stadium brings back fond memories for Sneh Rana, who was named Player of the Tournament during the Tri-series held at the same venue in May.
“Sneh, she had a really good series here in May. So, in that series she was a player of the series and she picked up a lot of wickets. She’s obviously well versed with the environment at that stage in time and she brings that confidence into the squad and she is a quality bowler.”
Salvi also noted that India’s prior experience of playing in Colombo could be an advantage, even though the current conditions differ. “We came here in May. We had our share of understanding the surface. So that was a very good experience playing in these conditions. Those conditions and now the weather conditions are different. But we take it day by day.”
As India head into their second group-stage encounter, the stakes are clear – a win against Pakistan will not only extend their flawless record but also strengthen their bid for a smooth passage into the knockout stages. With a confident blend of experience, youthful energy, and tactical depth, the Women in Blue appear well-prepared to rise to the occasion once again.
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