Sri Lanka’s experienced left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera ensured her name was etched into the early headlines of the Women’s World Cup 2025.
Facing co-hosts India in the opening match of the ODI World Cup at the Barsapara Stadium, Inoka produced a spellbinding performance that broke the backbone of India’s batting line-up and reminded the world why she has long been regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable match-winners.
Put in to bat first, India were cautious and soon found themselves on shaky ground against Sri Lanka’s disciplined attack. What followed was a spell that changed everything, Inoka Ranaweera’s brilliance in the middle overs.
The defining moment arrived in the 26th over, where Inoka turned the game on its head. She dismissed three Indian batters in the space of just five balls, conceding only one run, a sequence that silenced the Indian crowd and gave Sri Lanka a firm grip on the match.
Her first strike was that of Harleen Deol, who had been holding India’s innings together with a well-crafted 48. Looking to push the ball gently over the covers with soft hands, Deol mistimed her stroke, only to find Kavisha Dilhari completing a clean catch. The soft dismissal came just when India seemed to be rebuilding, making it all the more crucial.
Jemimah Rodrigues, making her World Cup debut, walked in with the hopes of steadying the ship. But the young batter was handed a golden duck. Attempting to block, she misread the line completely as the ball straightened, sneaking past her bat and crashing into the stumps. Jemimah was left stunned, while Sri Lanka erupted in jubilation.
Inoka Ranaweera was then on a hat-trick, but it wasn’t to be as Deepti Sharma survived. However, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, trying to assert herself, played away from her body to a delivery outside off, only to edge it behind. Wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani made no mistake, and Harmanpreet departed for just 21. Suddenly, the momentum had swung dramatically as India collapsed from 120/3 to 121/5.
Earlier in the innings, Inoka had already made her mark by removing another set batter in Pratika Rawal in the 20th over, ensuring India never truly found their rhythm.
By the end of her spell, Inoka’s figures read an outstanding 4/46 from nine overs, a performance that not only dented India’s scoring rate but also dismantled their core batting unit. Her accuracy, guile, and composure under pressure once again highlighted why she remains such a vital cog in Sri Lanka’s bowling attack.
This performance also added another feather to her cap, taking her tally to 84 ODI wickets, with memories still fresh of her career-best 4/39 against India in 2022. History repeated itself, as once again Inoka stood tall in disrupting India’s batting order at the biggest stage.
For India, the collapse exposed vulnerabilities early in the tournament, yet a timely recovery with fifties from Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur helped India post a total of 269 runs from rain-truncated 47 overs, while for Sri Lanka, it was a statement of intent.
Despite a collapse, India reach 269/8 with Amanjot Kaur (57), Deepti Sharma (53), and Harleen Deol (48) top-scoring! 🏏 🔥
Sri Lanka's Inoka Ranaweera takes 4 wickets! 👏#CricketTwitter #CWC25 #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/mELBJRfXr5 — Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) September 30, 2025
Inoka Ranaweera’s spell will be remembered not just for its numbers but for its timing, arriving in the very first match of the World Cup, setting the tone for what promises to be an electrifying tournament ahead.
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