India Secures 59-Run Victory in Women’s World Cup Opener

India launched their campaign in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 with an impressive victory over Sri Lanka, winning by 59 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. The match took place at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati, where rain reduced the contest to 47 overs per side.

The standout performer for India was all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who showcased her skills with both bat and ball. She scored a crucial half-century, making 53 runs off 53 balls, and contributed significantly with the ball by capturing three wickets for 54 runs.

India faced early challenges after being put in to bat first, finding themselves at a precarious 124/6. However, a remarkable seventh-wicket partnership between Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur, who scored 57 runs, turned the tide. Their collaboration of 103 runs helped stabilize the innings, ultimately setting a target of 269/8 for Sri Lanka. Additionally, Sneh Rana contributed a rapid 28 runs off 15 balls, ensuring India had a competitive total to defend.

Deepti’s performance has been notable throughout the year. In her 15 WODIs thus far in 2025, she has amassed 434 runs, boasting an impressive average of 72.33, according to ESPNcricinfo. This match marked her fourth half-century of the year, with her highest score being 93. Among batters with at least 400 WODI runs in 2025, only Tazmin Brits of South Africa and Sidra Amin of Pakistan have better averages at 91.85 and 86.33, respectively.

What sets Deepti apart is not just her consistency but also her aggressive intent. With a strike rate of 102.84, she exceeds her career average of 69.79. Remarkably, she is the only player this year to score over 400 runs while maintaining an average above 70 and a strike rate exceeding 100. Throughout her 11 innings in WODIs this year, she has been dismissed for fewer than 20 runs only once, scoring just 9 runs against South Africa in Colombo in April.

Deepti’s contributions extend beyond batting; she has also excelled with the ball. Her performance against Sri Lanka included a standout bowling figure of 3/54 across 10 overs, raising her total to 20 wickets in 2025, with an average of 33.10 and an economy rate of 4.90. This places her second in terms of wickets taken by Indian bowlers this year, trailing only Sneh Rana, who has claimed 23 wickets.

Over the course of her career, Deepti has participated in 113 WODIs, accumulating 143 wickets at an average of 28.19 and an economy of around 4.29. The match against Sri Lanka marked a milestone for Deepti, as she surpassed Neetu David (141) to become India’s second-highest wicket-taker in WODI history. Her bowling achievements include two four-wicket hauls and three five-wicket hauls.

With a total of 2,577 runs at an average of 37.89, Deepti continues to be a pivotal player for India, underscoring her status as one of the key all-rounders in women’s cricket today.