ICC Women's WC 2025: IND-W vs SL-W pitch report, Guwahati Stadium key stats

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, will host its first-ever Women's ODI when India face Sri Lanka in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 opener

India has begun their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign against co-hosts Sri Lanka today, eyeing their maiden ICC title after decades of near-misses at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. The coin flip of the match was won by Sri lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu, who opted to bowl first.

India vs Sri Lanka ICC Women's World Cup 2025 playing 11:  India playing 11 vs Sri Lanka: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani  Sri Lanka playing 11 vs India: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera 

 

Harmanpreet Kaur’s side enters the tournament with momentum, having recently toppled England and pushed Australia in a high-scoring series. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana’s blistering form at the top and Jemimah Rodrigues’ composed presence in the middle order give the batting a solid base 

 

The return of Renuka Singh bolsters an otherwise inexperienced pace attack, supported by spinners Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav. Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, will rely on home advantage and the promise of young all-rounder Dewmi Vihanga. With India’s batting strength against Sri Lanka’s spirited unit, the opening clash promises intensity and sets the tone for the tournament.

 

But how is the wicket in Guwahati expected to behave during the match, and what are the key stats of the venue? Take a look.

Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati: Pitch report for IND-W vs SL-W ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 match

The surface at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati is regarded as batting-friendly and often produces high-scoring encounters. With consistent bounce and decent pace on offer, batters can trust the wicket and play their shots with confidence, particularly during the powerplay overs. As the match progresses, the pitch may slow down slightly, bringing spinners and change-of-pace bowlers into play, but it generally continues to assist stroke-making. Bowlers will need to rely on variations and discipline to succeed here. Overall, conditions are expected to favour batters, setting the stage for another run-fest.

Most recent ODI match at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

The last ODI at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium was played on 10 January 2023, when India faced Sri Lanka in the opening match of their bilateral series. Batting first, India posted a massive 373/7, powered by Virat Kohli’s 113, Rohit Sharma’s 83, and Shubman Gill’s 70. Kasun Rajitha claimed three wickets for Sri Lanka. In reply, the visitors managed 306/8 despite skipper Dasun Shanaka’s valiant unbeaten 108. Umran Malik struck thrice while Mohammed Siraj picked two. India won convincingly by 67 runs, with Kohli adjudged Player of the Match for his classy century.

Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati: Key stats

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, India, hosted its first One-Day International on 21 October 2018 and the most recent on 10 January 2023. So far, only two ODIs have been played at the venue, both won by the home side, giving India a 100 per cent success rate. Matches have been evenly balanced, with one victory each for teams batting first and chasing. The toss has had little impact, with sides winning once after batting first and once while chasing.

 

The ground has witnessed some memorable performances, including Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 152 against the West Indies in the inaugural ODI and Yuzvendra Chahal’s 3/41 in the same match. India’s highest team score of 373/7 came here against Sri Lanka in 2023, while the most successful chase was 326/2 versus the West Indies in 2018. With an average first-innings score of 348, a runs-per-wicket ratio of 53.08, and nearly seven runs per over, the venue is known for producing high-scoring encounters.