India open home World Cup with hard-fought win over Sri Lanka

Deepti Sharma impressed with bat and ball as India beat fellow hosts Sri Lanka by 59 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in a rain-affected opening match of the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup.

Sharma (53) and Amanjot Kaur (57) shared a seventh-wicket stand of 103 to help India post 269 for eight from an innings reduced to 47 overs by wet weather.

India had slipped to 124 for six after losing four wickets for four runs in the space of 11 balls during a middle-order collapse.

Spinner Inoka Ranaweera was the pick of Sri Lanka's bowlers in the Indian city of Guwahati, finishing with figures of four for 46, albeit she was responsible for one of four dropped catches on Amanjot.

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Sharma then took three wickets for 54, including dismissing Sri Lanka's captain and top scorer Chamari Athapaththu for 43, as India bowled out their opponents for 211 in the 46th over to secure victory in front of a crowd of 22,843.

“It was not an easy game,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur told the host broadcaster. “We know in ICC tournaments, every game is important and is going to be high-pressure. In the middle overs, our batters managed well, despite losing wickets.

“The way they [Amanjot and Deepti] handled the situation, it was outstanding to watch. I’m really happy all the girls came together to try to win this game for the country.”

PA