As the Women’s Tri-Nation ODI Series kicks off in Colombo (27 April–11 May 2025), the spotlight isn’t just on cricketing rivalries and a historic shift in leadership on and off the pitch.
With two female ICC match referees, Vanessa De Silva and Michell Pereira, and a majority-women umpiring panel, including Anna Harris, Dedunu De Silva, and Nimali Perera, the tournament marks a watershed moment for gender equity in cricket.
As India faces hosts Sri Lanka, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur brings her trademark aggression, fresh from a title triumph, leading Mumbai Indians to their 2nd title in three years of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), a franchise league in India. Her focus on depth in spin bowling and power-hitting middle-order, led by Richa Ghosh, reflects India’s ambition to dominate the ODI rankings.
The Sri Lankan skipper, Chamari Athapaththu, a veteran renowned for her individual heroics, now leads a young squad hungry to rewrite history. With India boasting a 91%-win record against Sri Lanka (29 wins in 31 ODIs), Athapaththu’s tactical nous against spinners will be critical.
South Africa, led by the young inspirational skipper Laura Wolvaardt, after being involved in the 3rd edition of the WPL, with the Gujarat Giants, represented the Titans in the CSA Women’s Pro50 Series and CSA Women’s Pro20 Series. Many South African players were involved in the 3rd edition of the WPL. However, the Proteas squad will come together and resume their ODI World Cup preparations. The mega event will be hosted by India in September–October later this year. Annerie Dercksen, Nadine de Klerk, and Miane Smith are some of the players to watch-out for in the Tri-series in Sri Lanka.
Match officials ODI Tri-Series in Sri Lanka, 2025
Panel of Match Referees
Ms. Vanessa De Silva – ICC Match referee
Ms. Michell Pereira – ICC Match referee
Panel of Umpires
Mr. Lyndon Hannibal – ICC Umpire
Ms. Anna Harris – ICC Umpire
Ms. Nimali Perera – ICC Umpire
Ms. Dedunu De Silva – ICC Umpire
The all-female referee panel is the first in such tournaments, highlighting cricket’s inclusivity push.
Vanessa De Silva (Sri Lanka): A trailblazer in ICC’s referee development programs, mentoring regional talent.
Michell Pereira (Sri Lanka): Known for her calm authority in high-pressure fixtures.
Dedunu De Silva: From domestic leagues to ICC panels, her rise mirrors Sri Lanka’s investment in women’s cricket.
Anna Harris (England): A rising star officiating in subcontinental conditions, showcasing global collaboration.
The R Premadasa Stadium’s spin-friendly track may favour India’s Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma. However, Sri Lanka’s Inoka Ranaweera, a left-arm orthodox specialist, could exploit the slow turn. India’s recent dominance (including a 3-0 sweep in 2023) contrasts with Sri Lanka’s hunger to leverage home conditions.
As Harmanpreet Kaur strides onto the Premadasa, her battle isn’t just against Chamari Athapaththu’s Sri Lanka, it’s a collective stride toward reshaping cricket’s future. The sides involved in the series would be keen to put on their best display and play their part in advertising the more such scheduling of the Tri-nation series in the near future.
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