Goud and Sharma shine with the ball in Colombo, securing a second consecutive victory for the hosts, while Pakistan suffer back-to-back defeats.
In a thrilling ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 clash held in Colombo, India dominated Pakistan by 88 runs, propelling themselves to the summit of the points table with four points from two matches.
Batting first, the home side managed a competitive total of 247 runs in their allotted 50 overs, being dismissed on the very last delivery of their innings. The match took place under conditions favoring bowlers, with the pitch in Sri Lanka’s capital-serving as a neutral venue for Pakistan-offering assistance to the seamers.
Pakistan’s chase faltered early as young Indian pacer Kranti Goud wreaked havoc, claiming three wickets for just 20 runs across her full quota of overs. The visitors struggled to adapt to both the challenging pitch and the pressure exerted by a dominant Indian side, extending their losing streak against India in one-day internationals to 12 matches.
The fixture attracted heightened attention amid ongoing political strains between the two South Asian rivals, who recently engaged in a brief armed conflict in May. Reflecting the tense atmosphere, there were no customary handshakes at the toss or after the match, mirroring the conduct seen in recent men’s Asia Cup encounters.
Winning the toss, Pakistan elected to field first. India’s innings was marked by steady, if cautious, progress on a surface that had been shielded from rain for two days. The pitch retained a noticeable layer of grass, but it was the moisture trapped beneath the covers that most influenced play, causing the ball to behave unpredictably.
Jemimah Rodrigues, who contributed 32 runs, remarked at the halfway stage that the ball was “gripping” the surface, making stroke play challenging. Opening the innings, Pratika Rawal (23) and Smriti Mandhana (31) laid a solid foundation with a 48-run partnership before Rawal was dismissed lbw by Fatima Sana (2-39) at the end of the ninth over.
Harleen Deol anchored the middle order with a well-crafted 45 but was eventually caught at long-on, giving Rameen Shamim (1-39) her sole wicket. Deol’s dismissal came as she attempted an ambitious shot to reach a personal milestone.
India’s final total was notable as their highest ODI score without any batter reaching a half-century. Richa Ghosh’s unbeaten 35 off 20 balls nearly altered that narrative, and her impressive strike rate sparked questions about her lower-order batting position at number eight.
For Pakistan, Diana Baig stood out with figures of 4-69, though her economy rate was on the higher side. The innings was briefly interrupted for 20 minutes when players were asked off the field to allow fumigation due to a swarm of flies, though the nuisance persisted throughout the game.
Pakistan’s reply began disastrously, with the team reduced to 26 for 3 by the 12th over. The swing bowling of Renuka Singh Thakur and Kranti Goud proved nearly unplayable. Thakur, despite her efforts, finished wicketless, hindered by dropped catches and lbw decisions that were not reviewed by India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Sidra Amin and Natalia Pervaiz attempted to stabilize the innings with a 69-run partnership for the fourth wicket over 16 overs. However, the slow scoring rate hampered Pakistan’s chase, and when Fatima Sana, batting at number six, managed only 2 runs from 14 balls, India’s control over the match tightened further.
The dismissal of Amin in the 40th over marked the beginning of the end for Pakistan, who were bowled out within the next three overs.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana expressed frustration over missed run-out chances and fielding errors, believing her team could have restricted India to under 200 runs.
“We conceded too many runs early in the powerplay,” she reflected post-match. “We also gave away extra runs in the final overs.”
On the other hand, India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur lauded her bowlers’ performance.
“Kranti was exceptional,” Kaur commented. “Our spinners also contributed crucial breakthroughs. Although we dropped a few chances, overall, we are pleased with the result.”
India will return home to continue their group stage campaign, facing South Africa on Thursday, while Pakistan remains in Colombo to take on defending champions Australia on Wednesday.
Neither team has yet secured an ICC ODI or T20 World Cup title.
