India enters their Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 match against Pakistan on October 5th as overwhelming favorites, seeking to continue their dominant record in head-to-head encounters. The match is scheduled to take place at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, at 3:00 PM Indian Standard Time.
India has historically held a significant upper hand over Pakistan in women's cricket. Across all international formats, India boasts a 24-3 record against Pakistan. In ODIs, this dominance is even more pronounced, with India having won all 11 matches played between the two sides. Their most recent ODI encounter was at the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup, where India secured a commanding 107-run victory.
India began their World Cup campaign on September 30 against Sri Lanka in Guwahati. In that match, India overcame a shaky start to post a competitive total, thanks to a 103-run partnership between Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma. Deepti Sharma's all-round performance earned her the Player of the Match award. India eventually won the match against Sri Lanka by 59 runs (DLS method).
Pakistan, on the other hand, has struggled recently. They suffered a seven-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in their opening World Cup game. The Pakistan team was bundled out for a mere 129, a total which Bangladesh chased down comfortably.
Despite the strong rivalry between the two nations, off-field interactions between the players have often been lauded. At the 2022 World Cup, Indian players were seen interacting warmly with Pakistan's then-captain Bismah Maroof and her infant daughter. However, mirroring the tension in political relations, a "no handshake" policy, as seen during the recent Asia Cup men's matches, is also a possibility for this Women's World Cup fixture.
The weather in Colombo could also play a role, with rain predicted for the match day. If the match proceeds without interruptions, India is likely to field an unchanged XI.
For Pakistan, key players to watch include Sidra Amin, their top ODI century-maker, and Nashra Sandhu, their leading spin bowler. Pakistan will be captained by Fatima Sana. India will be captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as the vice-captain.
The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India and will be available for live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website.
