Colombo, Sri Lanka – Sri Lankan cricket commentator Roshan Abeysinghe has weighed in on the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, asserting that India holds a significant edge over their rivals in terms of cricketing prowess. The two teams are set to face off at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, October 5, 2025.
Abeysinghe's assessment comes on the heels of India's strong start to the tournament with a 59-run victory over Sri Lanka, while Pakistan suffered a setback in their opening match against Bangladesh. Historically, India has maintained a dominant record against Pakistan in the Women's 50-over World Cup, winning all four of their encounters. In all Women's ODIs, India holds an 11-0 lead over Pakistan.
"Cricket-wise, India is way ahead. There is no doubt about it," Abeysinghe told ANI. He highlighted the strength and depth of the Indian team, mentioning key players such as Smriti Mandhana, captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and Jemimah Rodrigues. Mandhana is considered one of the best limited-overs batters, holding the top ODI batter ranking and having scored the most ODI centuries in 2025. Deepti Sharma's all-round capabilities also pose a threat to Pakistan. In contrast, he described Pakistan as a "struggling unit".
Despite his clear conviction about India's advantage, Abeysinghe refrained from making a definitive prediction, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of cricket. He expressed intrigue about the potential off-field interactions between the two teams, wondering if the players would "shake hands, talk to each other, and have the camaraderie and friendship reignited".
Abeysinghe also believes that India stands a "very good chance" of winning the Women's World Cup, particularly given the advantage of playing in their own backyard. He identified Australia and England as strong contenders who could challenge India's title aspirations, while also noting South Africa's potential.
India Women, also known as the Women in Blue, are currently ranked third in ODIs. They have reached the World Cup final twice, in 2005 and 2017. Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal form a strong opening partnership for India. Sneh Rana and Kranti Goud have also been revelations with the ball. The Indian squad is led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana.
Pakistan Women, also known as the Green Shirts, have had mixed results in the lead-up to the World Cup. They lost a home ODI series to South Africa, and also suffered a batting collapse in their opening World Cup game against Bangladesh. Fatima Sana leads a balanced squad of experienced players and young talents. Sidra Amin is a veteran batter and mainstay of Pakistan's batting attack. Nashra Sandhu is Pakistan's leading spin bowler. Pakistan has only beaten India three times, with the last win occurring at the T20 Women's Asia Cup 2022.
The India vs Pakistan match is scheduled to begin at 09:30 GMT at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. While both teams aim to focus on the game, regional politics may draw attention away from the cricket.
