Women's World Cup 2025, IND vs SL: Amanjot, Deepti Lauded for Rescue Act after India's Batting Collapse

In the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 opener against Sri Lanka, India recovered from a middle-order collapse thanks to Amanjot Kaur (57) and Deepti Sharma (53), who added 103 runs, guiding India to a competitive 269/8 in the rain-affected match.

The middle-order batters Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma played a crucial role in guiding Team India to a competitive and respectable total in the opening match of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 against Sri Lanka at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday, September 30.

After being put to bat first by Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, Team India posted 269/8, thanks to vital contributions from Pratika Rawal (37), Harleen Deol (48), Deepti Sharma (53), and Amanjot Kaur (57), despite a sudden collapse in the middle order. India’s innings lasted 47 overs, as the total was revised due to rain interruptions.

For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera led the bowling attack as she registered the figures of 4/46 at an economy rate of 5.10 in her spell of nine overs. Udeshika Prabodhani (2/55) picked two wickets, while skipper Chamari Athapaththu and Achini Kulasuriya scalped a wicket each.

Amanjot and Deepti come to India’s batting rescue

Team India did not have an ideal start to their campaign as they lost vice-captain Smriti Mandhana for 8 at 14/1. Thereafter, Opener Pratika Rawal was joined by Harleen Deol at the crease to carry on India’s innings.

The pair formed a 67-run stand for the second wicket and were hoping to extend their stand until Rawal’s stay at the crease came to an end after she was dismissed for 37 at 81/1. From hereon, what followed was a dramatic middle-order collapse, with wickets falling at regular intervals. After Deol’s dismissal at 120/3, the Women in Blue lost the wickets of Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (21), and Richa Ghosh (2), reduced to 124/6, losing three wickets in just 3 runs.

However, Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma came to India’s batting rescue as they accelerated the innings while stabilizing the middle order, adding a 103-run partnership for the seventh wicket to take the hosts past the 200-run mark. The duo was hoping to extend their stand until Amanjot was dismissed for 57 at 227/7.

After Amanjot Kaur’s dismissal, Deepti Sharma was joined by Sneh Rana at the crease, and the pair formed a 42-run stand for the eighth wicket to take the Women in Blue past the 250-run mark and post a competitive total on the board. Sharma was dismissed after completing his half-century at 269/8.

Amanjot and Deepti’s rescue act receives praise

The crucial rescue act by Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma, with their century-run partnership, earned praise from fans and the cricket fraternity for stabilizing India’s innings after the collapse and ensuring a competitive total on the board for Team India.

Taking to their X handle (formerly Twitter), the Indian cricket fraternity was quite effusive in their praise, lauding Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma for their composure under pressure, while Sneh Rana was lauded for her crucial contribution in the middle, strengthening the lower order and helping India reach a challenging total despite the earlier collapse.

Meanwhile, Team India is aiming to kick-start their campaign on a winning note as the hosts set a 271-run target as per the DLS method for Sri Lanka to chase. The Women in Blue are aiming for the World Cup triumph on home soil. India reached the finals of the tournament twice in 2004 and 2017, but fell short of holding the coveted trophy after losing to Australia and England, respectively.