All-round performances from Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Amanjot Kaur powered India to a 59-run victory (DLS method) over co-hosts Sri Lanka in the opening match of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Deepti Sharma became the first Indian bowler to score a fifty and take a three-wicket haul in a World Cup match. Alongside Amanjot, she staged a rescue act that turned the tide for the hosts.
India, reeling at 124/6, recovered through a superb 103-run stand between Amanjot Kaur (57) and Deepti Sharma (53). Their partnership steadied the innings before Sneh Rana’s explosive cameo of 28* off 15 balls lifted India to 269/8 in a rain-affected, 47-overs-a-side game.
The bowlers then delivered to perfection. Deepti led with 3-54, while Rana was outstanding with 2-32 from her 10 overs. Young spinner N Shree Charani chipped in with 2-37 as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 211 in 45.4 overs. Amanjot, playing as the second seamer alongside Kranti Gaud, also chipped in with 1-37.
Sri Lanka’s chase mirrored India’s early struggle. After being 45/1 in nine overs, they were well-placed at 140/6 but failed to produce a lower-order fightback. Captain Chamari Athapaththu (43) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (29) put on 52 for the second wicket, while Nilakshika Silva’s quick 29-ball 35 was the only late resistance. The rest of the batting faltered under pressure from India’s spinners.
Earlier, India began cautiously after being put in to bat. Opener Smriti Mandhana fell early for eight, but Pratika Rawal (37) and Harleen Deol (48) steadied the innings, taking India to 43/1 in 10 overs. However, rain halted play for more than an hour, reducing the contest to 47 overs per side.
On resumption, Sri Lanka’s Inoka Ranaweera turned the game on its head. She claimed three wickets in five balls in the 26th over, dismissing Deol (48), Jemimah Rodrigues (0) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (17). She eventually finished with 4-46 as India slumped to 124/6, with the prospect of not even reaching 200.
It was then that Amanjot and Deepti rebuilt the innings with grit and patience, adding 103 runs off 99 balls. Amanjot, playing her first World Cup match, showed composure despite being dropped twice. She eventually fell to a fine boundary catch by Vishmi Gunaratne, but by then, India had regained momentum.
Deepti’s steady half-century and Sneh Rana’s late assault ensured India ended on a high. Rana’s aggressive strokeplay, coupled with Deepti’s solidity, gave the bowlers a strong total to defend.
Sri Lanka’s fielding woes added to their downfall, as they dropped nearly half a dozen catches, allowing India to claw back into the match. Their batters, too, went into a shell in the middle overs, failing to find the boundary for over 50 deliveries, which sealed their fate.
Brief scores:
India 269/8 in 47 overs (Amanjot Kaur 57, Deepti Sharma 53, Harleen Deol 48, Sneh Rana 28*; Inoka Ranaweera 4-46, Udeshika Prabhodhani 2-55) beat Sri Lanka 211 all out in 45.4 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 43, Nilakshika Silva 35; Deepti Sharma 3-54, Sneh Rana 2-32, N Shree Charani 2-37) by 59 runs (DLS method).
— IANS