The third day of the game gave a brash opening to India's ICC Women's World Cup 2025 campaign, with India prevailing over Sri Lanka on a DLS method by 59 runs in rain-affected conditions.

The toss was won by the Indians and they chose to bat first. Inoka Ranaweera, the left-arm spinner, immediately took charge and claimed 4 for 46. The Indian batting line-up was rocked by the fall of three quick wickets, having reached only 124 for 6, and fears were mounting of a very low total. But then, Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma forged a brilliant 103-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Their resistance assembled a platform from which India could post a more or less competitive total of 269 for 8 in 47 overs after the rains had intervened twice. Amanjot top-scored with a fluent 57 off 56 balls, while Deepti matched her with 53 from as many deliveries.

Sri Lanka were given the challenge of chasing the DLS revised target of 271. The innings commenced steadily but with no momentum, and wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals. The captain Chamari Athapaththu was the resistance with 43, and Nilakshika Silva made 35, but that was all. The middle and lower order simply collapsed under pressure. Deepti Sharma shone with the ball again, taking 3 for 54. She was ably supported by Sneh Rana (2/32) and Shree Charani (2/37) in bowling out Sri Lanka for 211 in 45.4 overs.

The win was a test of India to resist an early collapse and put the middle order to good use. The partnerships between Amanjot and Deepti were ultimately decisive, with bowlers executing their plans to comfortably sail home with victory at ease. By securing this win, India gets their World Cup campaign off to a flying start and sets an agenda for sterner tests ahead.

(By PTI Inputs)