Contrasting Preparations Ahead of the Big Clash
On the eve of the Women’s World Cup opener in Guwahati, India and Sri Lanka presented two very different training approaches. India’s session was upbeat and confident, featuring light drills and focused discussions. Bowling coach Avishkar Salvi even tested Rana’s offspin grip before she showcased her skill, while pacer Kranti Goud worked through match scenarios with sharp intensity.
Sri Lanka’s practice, in contrast, was more methodical and quiet. They began with catching drills before shifting to the nets. Despite the seriousness, there was room for laughter—Inoka Ranaweera playfully teased young seamer Malki Madara, while Sugandika Kumari joked about offspin grips with Dewmi Vihanga.
“𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒑 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔,” 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒅. “𝑩𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒅, 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍-𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆.”
India Enter with Clarity, Sri Lanka with Momentum
Since the disrupted 2022 edition, both teams have enjoyed more cricket and better preparation. Sri Lanka, absent from the last World Cup, arrive with 31 ODIs under their belt, while India have played 38, including 14 this year alone.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur highlighted India’s improved confidence:
“𝑾𝒆’𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑶𝑫𝑰 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑻20 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒑 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒔.”
Jemimah Rodrigues will make her World Cup debut despite already having 51 ODIs to her name. She enters in strong form, with a maiden hundred and recent finishing heroics. Sri Lanka’s hopes rest on veteran seamer Udeshika Prabodhani, whose swing with the new ball could trouble India’s top order.
Team News and Conditions
India have a fully fit squad, and Amanjot Kaur may return after injury, likely leaving only one spot between Sneh Rana and Radha Yadav. For Sri Lanka, Hasini Perera is set to open with Chamari Athapaththu, while Prabodhani’s comeback boosts their bowling.
The pitch in Guwahati offers minimal grass and hot, muggy conditions are expected at start time.
Both captains expressed optimism before the clash.
𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝑲𝒂𝒖𝒓: “𝑾𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒑𝒕.”
𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒊 𝑨𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒕𝒉𝒖: “𝑼𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒌𝒂 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎.”
With both teams well-prepared, the Women’s World Cup opener promises a thrilling start to the tournament.
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