India Women Beat Pakistan by 88 Runs in World Cup Clash
India’s women’s cricket team continued their dominance over arch-rivals Pakistan with a convincing 88-run win in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. With this victory, India extended their unbeaten ODI record against Pakistan to 12-0 and climbed to the top of the points table with two wins in as many games.
Batting first on a tricky surface, India managed 247 runs before being bowled out on the final ball of their innings. Harleen Deol (45) and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh (35* off 20) played crucial knocks, while Smriti Mandhana (31) and Jemimah Rodrigues (32) provided stability in the top order. Despite no batter reaching a half-century, India’s total was their highest in ODIs without an individual fifty. For Pakistan, Diana Baig stood out with figures of 4-69, though she proved expensive.
The Indian bowlers then took center stage. Young pacer Kranti Goud impressed with a disciplined spell, finishing with 3 wickets for just 20 runs. Deepti Sharma matched her effort with three wickets of her own, while Renuka Singh Thakur bowled a testing spell despite going wicketless. Pakistan never recovered from their poor start, slumping to 26-3 inside 12 overs. A 69-run stand between Sidra Amin and Natalia Pervaiz provided resistance, but once Amin fell for 46, the batting collapsed and Pakistan were bowled out for 159.
The game wasn’t without drama. A toss error by the referee, a disputed run-out of Muneeba Ali, and a 15-minute halt due to an insect swarm all added to the tension. Misinformation about bug sprays being used was also later debunked.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her side’s disciplined bowling effort. “Kranti was outstanding, and our spinners supported brilliantly. We dropped a few catches, but overall it was a strong team effort,” she said after the match. Pakistan skipper Sana, meanwhile, lamented her team’s missed chances in the field. “We should have restricted India to under 200, but our misfields and lapses cost us,” she admitted.
The win also carried political undertones, as Indo-Pak fixtures continue to draw massive attention amid tense bilateral relations. Notably, players refrained from handshakes at both the toss and the match’s conclusion.
India will now return home for their next fixture against South Africa on Thursday, while Pakistan stay in Colombo to face defending champions Australia on Wednesday.
With momentum on their side, India will be looking to carry forward their unbeaten run and secure a semifinal spot early in the tournament.
