India Women are all set to kick off their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 campaign against Sri Lanka Women in a high-stakes opener at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Tuesday, September 30. With a stellar head-to-head record and strong squad depth, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India are firm favourites, but Sri Lanka’s resilience could spice up the contest. Here’s a detailed match preview, head-to-head stats, key players, and prediction.
India vs Sri Lanka Head-to-Head Record
The rivalry between India Women (IND-W) and Sri Lanka Women (SL-W) has been overwhelmingly one-sided. In 35 ODIs, India have claimed 31 victories while Sri Lanka have won only three, with one game ending in a no-result. In the last five meetings, India have won four, including two clashes in the 2025 tri-series with South Africa, while Sri Lanka managed a memorable three-wicket win.
This dominance makes India the clear favourites, but cricket’s unpredictability means Sri Lanka’s star players like Chamari Athapaththu can still turn the game.
India Women Form Guide
India head into the World Cup on the back of mixed warm-up performances. A heavy 153-run loss to England was followed by a morale-boosting four-wicket win over New Zealand, showcasing resilience and depth in both batting and bowling.
Key Batters:
Smriti Mandhana: 614 runs in 16 ODIs vs Sri Lanka, average 43.85, one hundred and five fifties.
Harmanpreet Kaur: 371 runs in 14 innings vs Sri Lanka, including two fifties.
Pratika Rawal & Jemimah Rodrigues: Consistent performers with 668 and 479 runs respectively in 2025 ODIs.
Key Bowlers:
Deepti Sharma: 24 wickets at an average of 17.29 against Sri Lanka, including a best of 6/20.
Sneh Rana & Renuka Singh Thakur: Experienced pace options who can strike at crucial junctures.
India’s strength lies in their balanced attack, with spinners and pacers capable of exploiting Guwahati’s conditions.
Sri Lanka Women Form Guide
Sri Lanka Women have had a turbulent preparation. Their warm-up against Pakistan was washed out, and a narrow one-run loss to Bangladesh exposed vulnerabilities in closing matches. Chamari Athapaththu remains the linchpin of the batting order, supported by Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Vishmi Gunaratne.
Key Bowlers:
Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera: Experienced campaigners tasked with containing India’s top order.
Dewmi Vihanga: Picked up 11 wickets in 4 ODIs in 2025, showcasing economical bowling under pressure.
Despite being underdogs, Sri Lanka’s ability to pull off upsets makes them a team to watch.
Barsapara Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The Guwahati wicket favors batters, with minimal seam movement for pacers. Spinners may come into play in the latter stages, making it crucial for captains to plan innings carefully. Toss-winning teams are likely to bat first to set a competitive total.
Match Prediction
Given India’s dominant head-to-head record, recent form, and squad depth, they are the clear favourites with an 87% chance of victory, while Sri Lanka trails at 13%. However, the Lankans’ ability to capitalize on key moments, particularly through Athapaththu and experienced bowlers, means an upset cannot be ruled out.
Probable Playing XI
India Women: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, N Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy
Sri Lanka Women: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Malki Madara, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera