The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 kicks off today with hosts India facing Sri Lanka in the opening fixture. This high-stakes clash marks the beginning of a tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, featuring eight teams vying for glory. India, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, enter as favorites with a dominant head-to-head record against Sri Lanka (31 wins in 35 ODIs overall, including two convincing victories in 2025 by 9 wickets and 97 runs). Sri Lanka, captained by the explosive Chamari Athapaththu, will look to upset the hosts and build momentum after a mixed warm-up phase (a rain-abandoned game vs. Pakistan and a narrow 1-run loss to Bangladesh).

Match Details

• Date & Time: September 30, 2025 | 3:00 PM IST (9:30 AM GMT)

• Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

• Format: Women's ODI

• Toss: To be decided on the day (live updates expected around 2:30 PM IST)

• Live Streaming/Broadcast: Star Sports Network (India); Disney+ Hotstar app (live streaming in India). Internationally, check ICC's official partners for regional coverage.Also Read: Mysuru Dasara: Spectacular Display of 2,983 Drones… Tiger Artwork Sets Guinness World Record!

Pitch & Weather Report
Barsapara Cricket Stadium typically offers a balanced surface for ODIs, favoring batters early on with true bounce and carry, but it assists spinners as the game progresses—expect scores around 250-280 if batting first. Dew could play a role in the second innings, making chasing preferable. Weather in Guwahati looks clear with temperatures around 28-30°C, low humidity, and no rain interruptions forecasted.Vogaan Men's Polo Shirt and Shorts Set | Summer Fashion Short Sleeve Solid Zipper 2 Pieces Outfits for Men

Squads
India Women (Full Squad): Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.

Predicted XI: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy.
Key Players to Watch: Smriti Mandhana (consistent opener with 500+ runs in recent T20 WCs) and Deepti Sharma (all-round threat, excels on spin-friendly tracks).

Sri Lanka Women (Full Squad): Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Kavisha Dilhari, Dewmi Vihanga, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Piumi Wathsala Badalge, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera, Nilakshi de Silva, Sugandika Kumari, Imesha Dulani.

Predicted XI: Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Kavisha Dilhari, Dewmi Vihanga, Piumi Wathsala, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari.

Match Prediction
India are strong favorites to start the tournament with a win, leveraging home advantage and depth in batting/spin bowling. Expect a competitive chase if Sri Lanka bats first, but Harmanpreet's side should prevail by 40-50 runs or 6-7 wickets. Toss winner likely to bowl first due to potential dew factor.