India Women Outplay Sri Lanka in Rain-Hit ODI Tri-Series Opener 2025
May, 5 2025
Indian Women Dominate Rain-Shortened Series Opener in Colombo
If you thought rain would ruin cricket yet again, think again. The opening match of the Women’s Tri-Nation Series 2025 at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium looked shaky—heavy showers soaked the pitch, pushed back the toss by two hours, and shrunk the contest to 39 overs each. But by the end, India Women turned the mayhem in their favor, dishing out a commanding 9-wicket win over Sri Lanka and setting the tone for the series.
Soggy outfields and grey clouds dominated the early hours as Colombo battled the monsoon mood. Officials managed to squeeze in enough play to avoid a total washout, sticking to the minimum 20-over requirement set by ICC ODI rules. Fans, both in the stands and glued to screens, wondered if there’d even be a result. Eventually, the toss rolled around at last and Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s straight-shooting captain, picked fielding first in the sticky, damp conditions.
Sri Lanka’s Struggle With the Bat
It didn’t take long for Sri Lanka’s batters to feel the squeeze. The Indian bowling unit, led by Sneh Rana’s clever off-spin (3/30), quickly got into rhythm. Deepti Sharma (2/22) and Nallapureddy Charani (2/21) kept things tight, leaving Sri Lanka’s scoring slow and stifled. Hasini Perera was the only Lankan batter who managed to hold her ground, grinding out 30 runs while wickets kept tumbling at the other end. When the innings closed at 147 runs after 38.1 overs, it felt below par—even on a rain-affected day.
Indian fielders, drenched and focused, pounced on every half-chance. A couple of sharp run-outs and relentless pressure made life tough for Sri Lanka, who couldn’t string together a meaningful partnership. The hosts never quite shook off the damp start or India’s disciplined bowling.
The only blip for India came on the over-rate front. ICC match referee Vanessa de Silva slapped the team with a 5% match fee fine for slow bowling between overs. Harmanpreet Kaur, unfazed, accepted the penalty on behalf of her squad—rarely do teams get through these rainy encounters without time slipping away.
With half the job done, India still had to handle chase pressure. But any hopes Sri Lanka had of fighting back vanished fast. The Indian top order, boosted by warm-up form and keen to shake off the rain hangover, forged ahead with purpose. Sri Lankan spinners just couldn’t find the same rhythm or threat.
India ticked past the modest target in just 22.2 overs, losing only one wicket and still having 56 balls left. India’s opening batters made it look easy—smarts, patience, and a few bold shots to keep the Sri Lankans guessing. The chase, helped by quick singles and controlled aggression, meant the scoreboard stayed steady and the required run rate never ballooned. By the time the winning runs were hit, the energy in the Indian camp drowned out the last of the clouds overhead.
This win not only puts India Women on top of the early points table but also sends a message to the third team in this Tri-Series 2025 line-up—South Africa. The tri-series continues in the same city, and both weather and team tactics will remain under the microscope. After this opening act, it’s clear India are ready to take on both the competition and the clouds.