The match between India Women and Pakistan Women was the sixth match of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, played on October 5, 2025, at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. India posted 247 all out in 50 overs, with Harleen Deol top-scoring with 46 and Richa Ghosh, unbeaten with 35 in 20 balls, providing the finishing touch.
Pakistan’s bowlers fought back, led by Diana Baig (4-69) and Fatima Sana (2-38), but were unable to prevent India from reaching its highest ODI total without a 50-plus pair.
In response, Pakistan only managed 159 all out in 43 overs, with Sidra Amin’s resounding 81 off 106 balls the only bright spot.
India’s bowlers dominated, with debutant Kranti Goud taking 3-20 and Deepti Sharma 3-45, while Anjali Sarvani took 2-38. This resulted in a resounding 88-run victory for India, extending their unbeaten ODI run against Pakistan to 12-0.
The match was not without its drama: a controversy arose at the toss when Pakistani captain Fatima Sana appeared to call “tails,” but the coin landed on “heads,” giving Pakistan the toss and the opportunity to bowl first, sparking debates about the accuracy of the umpiring.
Furthermore, flying insects caused a 15-minute delay due to fumigation, and a bizarre dismissal by Pakistani opener Muneeba Ali in the fourth over led to a brief interruption and arguments with the fourth umpire. Notably, there were no pre-match handshakes between captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana, underscoring the intense rivalry. Impact
In the tournament standings: India’s victory catapulted them to the top of the points table with 4 points and a net run rate (TNR) of +1.515, surpassing Australia.
This puts them in a strong position for the semifinals in a seven-team round-robin format. Pakistan, after suffering their second consecutive defeat, sits in last place with 0 points and a TNR of -1.777, putting enormous pressure on their remaining four matches to stay in contention for the semifinals.
On team morale and rivalry: The victory reinforces India’s psychological advantage in the Asian rivalry, now unbeaten in 12 ODIs against Pakistan since 2012. This boosts confidence ahead of tougher encounters like those against England and Australia.
For Pakistan, the defeat highlights the constant struggles in big matches, which could undermine team spirit, despite Sana Mir’s post-match analysis, which points to batting errors as a recurring problem.
On Players and Development: Standout players like Goud (impressive debut) and Deepti (a versatile and consistent player) are gaining momentum, while Amin’s resilience could cement her as the linchpin of Pakistan’s middle order. However, Pakistan’s top order (e.g., the early dismissal of Muneeba) remains a vulnerability.
For India: This result enhances their title credentials, showing depth in batting (consistent contributions throughout the order) and bowling (the spin duo of Deepti and Shreyanka Patil controls the middle overs).
It could lead to strategic adjustments, such as a greater reliance on uncapped talents like Goud, but it exposes the occasional fragility of partnerships in the face of quality pace. In the long term, it contributes to India’s preparation for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.
For Pakistan: The defeat deepens their winless streak in the tournament, putting them at risk of early elimination and forcing an urgent review of the selection, particularly to bolster batting depth beyond Amin.
It could intensify calls for better national structures to manage pressure, as evidenced by the reactions of former players such as Sana Mir. Off the field, the controversies could fuel diplomatic tensions in Indo-Pakistani sporting exchanges.
The match attracted a massive audience, broadening the global appeal of women’s cricket, especially in South Asia. This highlights the challenges Colombo faces with regard to venues (e.g., the presence of insects), which could influence future scheduling.
India’s comprehensive performance—balancing gritty batting with lethal bowling—affirms their status as tournament favorites, proving they can defend totals effectively even without fireworks. Pakistan showed fight through Amin and Baig but faltered in execution, needing collective resilience rather than individual heroics to compete. Overall, the game encapsulated the rivalry’s intensity: thrilling yet one-sided, with India’s dominance intact amid procedural hiccups. As the World Cup progresses, expect India to build on this momentum, while Pakistan must regroup swiftly to salvage their campaign.
