Sports
India crush Sri Lanka in Women’s World Cup opener
A splendid all-round display saw India launch their ICC Women’s World Cup campaign on the front foot, brushing aside Sri Lanka by 59 runs in the curtain raiser in Guwahati on Tuesday.
Half-centuries from Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur steadied the ship as India posted a competitive 269 for eight in a rain curtailed 47 over contest. Sri Lanka, chasing under lights, had a flying start at 82 for one in 15 overs, with skipper Chamari Athapaththu cutting and pulling anything loose in a rollicking 43 off 47. But once the spinners were tossed the ball, the wheels came off spectacularly.
The big breakthrough arrived when Deepti, on song with ball in hand, sent down a full delivery that skidded straight on to castle Athapaththu, leaving Sri Lanka’s middle order exposed once more and underlining their heavy reliance on the talismanic skipper.
India had their own jitters. At 124 for six they were staring down the barrel as veteran Inoka Ranaweera turned the game on its head. The 39-year-old left-arm spinner bowled an impeccable line prising out three wickets in an over.
Sri Lanka, however, let the initiative slip through butterfingers. Dropped catches proved costly as Deepti and Amanjot stitched together a game changing stand of 103 off 99 balls for the seventh wicket, turning the tide India’s way.
Ranaweera, who finished with four for 46, was denied a maiden five for and the best ever World Cup figures by a Sri Lankan due to poor fielding. She herself guilty of grassing a return catch off Amanjot.
Amanjot top scored with a less than run a ball 57 off 59 balls, striking five fours and a six with a strong bottom hand that sent the ball screaming down the ground. Deepti’s run a ball 53, her 16th WODI half-century, was laced with three fours. The all-rounder capped a memorable outing by overtaking Neetu David to become India’s second highest wicket taker with 143 scalps, behind only the legendary Jhulan Goswami’s towering 255.
Sri Lanka, who missed the previous edition of the World Cup in 2022, never quite looked convincing and their brittle batting remains their Achilles’ heel.
The 13th Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, features the world’s top eight sides with the top four after the league stage set to contest the semi-finals.
More than 23,000 fans thronged the stands for the opener, testimony to the growing pull of the women’s game in the subcontinent. Hosts India, ranked third behind Australia and England, will fancy their chances with the stakes higher than ever. The prize pot of USD 13.88 million represents a staggering 297 percent jump from the USD 3.5 million on offer at the last edition in New Zealand.
“We lost back to back wickets and we needed to steady the innings. Happy to have done that. I am used to batting under pressure and enjoyed the challenge today,” Deepti Sharma, Player of the Match said.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to establish the proposed National Higher Performance Centre for atletes.
India opener Shafali Verma has received an official reprimand and a demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Sunday.
Shafali, an ICC release said, breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”
It was Shafali’s first offence in a 24-month period.
The incident occurred in the 12th over of Zimbabwe’s innings when Shafali threw the ball into the ground in frustration after dropping a chance at mid-off offered by Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano off Sree Charani.
Shafali admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee GS Lakshmi, which meant there was no need for a formal hearing.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
India currently lead the three-match series 2-0 with the third game to be played on Tuesday evening. The T20Is will be followed by three ODIs in Vadodara from October 23.
(Cricinfo)
A total of 146 players will be competing for 27 available slots in the WPL 2027 mini auction on October 28 in Kochi. Of these, England batter Sophia Dunkley and Australia captain Sophie Molineux are the only two players who have listed themselves at the maximum base price of INR 50 lakh.
The auction pool has 119 Indian players, including 22 capped and 97 uncapped players, with 20 slots available for Indian players. The overseas pool has 27 players – 14 capped and 13 uncapped – including six from Associate teams, with seven slots available.
G Kamalini (released by Mumbai Indians), Kiran Navigre (released by U P Warriorz), Heather Graham and Jess Jonassen have registered at the second-highest base price of INR 40 lakh, while a total of 30 players have registered at INR 30 lakh.
Among the notable absentees are West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin, who was released by UPW, and Australia legspinner Alana King, who was released by Delhi Capitals. Lizelle Lee, who was DC’s highest run-scorer last season, has also not listed herself after being released by the franchise.
What the teams look like going into the auction
Only two English players – Dunkley and Kira Chathli (INR 10 lakh) – have registered for the auction, with several others, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Dani Gibson, Lauren Filer and Linsey Smith opting to skip the WPL next year.
Cricinfo has learned that England are likely to play three T20Is in Sri Lanka in early February, which will clash with the final week of the WPL. While the ECB is likely to allow players to stay in India to complete the tournament, most players have instead chosen to prioritise their international commitments ahead of the Champions Trophy later that month.
The relatively low salaries on offer at the WPL are also understood to be a factor in many English players deciding not to register, with most internationals earning significantly more to play in the Hundred (up to £190,000 last year) than the highest permitted base price in the WPL of INR 50 lakh (£40,000 approx).
Molineux was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru [RCB] title-winning squad in 2024, and had bagged 12 wickets in ten games at an economy rate of 7.31. She was retained by RCB for the 2025 season but a knee injury ruled her out of the season. Dunkley, meanwhile, played for Gujarat Giants [GT] in 2023 before opting not to register for the 2024 season. She went unsold in the 2025 auction.
Among the premier internationals who have listed themselves for INR 30 lakh are Australia allrounder Grace Harris (released by RCB), Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, South Africa left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba and South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon.
UPW, who released nine players, will go into the auction with the biggest purse of INR 3.75 crore.
[Cricinfo]
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Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
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