Two-time ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup winner Meg Lanning believes that India’s first match of the 2025 tournament will be of paramount importance. India will playSri Lanka on September 30 in Guwahati. Lanning said winning the opening match could help the team to ease the pressure of playing a World Cup at home.
“I think it’s a crucial game for them because it can almost release the pressure a little bit,” she said, speaking on The ICC Review. “If If they can play a good solid game up front, get the win on the board, then I think that might just calm them down a little bit. Because yeah, home World Cups, there’ll be obviously a lot of pressure and expectation on them to do well.”
Lanning, former Australia skipper, added that a strong first performance would make it easier towards the back end. She called the opening clash “a really big and special moment”.India have never won a Women’s World Cup, having finished runners-up in 2005 and 2017.
Spinners will be vitally important in Indian conditions. India have Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav and newcomer Sree Charani, while Sri Lanka will rely on Inoka Ranaweera, captain Chamari Athapaththu and others to challenge the hosts. “Both sides have got some very skilful bowlers in their spin attacks and that could play a really crucial role, not only in the first game but also throughout the tournament,” said Lanning.
With eight teams chasing four semi-final spots, she highlighted the need to earn points early. “The group stages at World Cups are just about qualifying for the semis,” she said.“So, you don’t need to play your best cricket but you do need to win.”
India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.
Reserves: Tejal Hasabnis, Prema Rawat, Priya Mishra, Uma Chetry, Minnu Mani, Sayali Satghare.
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