Author: Trisha Ghosal

By Trisha Ghosal in Guwahati When the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 gets underway at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, all eyes will turn to two southpaws who have been the heartbeat of their teams – Smriti Mandhana and Chamari Athapaththu. For India and Sri Lanka respectively, their journeys at this tournament begin and end with their left-hand openers. Both will be walking out for their third ODI World Cup, both have been carrying the burden of expectations, and both know that if they don’t fire, their teams will struggle to breathe. Since the last World Cup, Mandhana has…

By Trisha Ghosal in Guwahati India will open their Women’s ODI World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur was clear about the emotions in her camp. “Playing at home is always special. Of course there’s some pressure, but more than that, there’s excitement. The whole team is in a positive frame of mind and looking forward to tomorrow.” For Harmanpreet, this will be her first time leading India in a 50-over World Cup. After years of captaining in T20Is, she described the occasion as a “dream realised” and said her focus was on…

Trisha Ghosal in Guwahati On the eve of the ICC Women’s World Cup opener in Guwahati, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was calm yet assertive. Facing defending champions India in front of a packed crowd could be intimidating for most sides, but the Sri Lankan leader was quick to remind everyone that pressure sits heavier on the hosts’ shoulders. More Pressure on India Athapaththu did not shy away from the challenge of facing India first up. “India are favourites in this World Cup because they know the conditions, and they have the crowd support,” Athapaththu said in the press conference…

Trisha Ghosal in Guwahati South Africa, under Laura Wolvaard, look like a solid side. They have consistently been there and thereabouts, reaching semi-finals and finals of ODI and T20I World Cups, but have not yet managed to win the trophy. The men’s team carried the same tag until the Temba Bavuma-led side lifted the World Test Championship in June this year. 2025 has been a year of breaking curses, and the Wolvaardt-led Proteas will hope to do the same. Here’s the SWOT analysis of the side: Strengths Opening pair Tazmin Brits and Wolvaardt have both been in exceptional form. Brits,…

Trisha Ghosal in Guwahati The news that Arundhati Reddy has suffered a knee injury in India’s warm-up match against England has sent ripples through the Indian camp and for good reason. As a pace all-rounder who offers both seam options and lower-order hitting, her absence (even for a brief period) threatens to unravel the balance that the management has painstakingly built into this squad. Why Reddy matters in India’s scheme On paper, India’s pace attack is hardly overflowing with options. The squad includes Renuka Singh Thakur and Kranti Gaud as specialist seamers, with Amanjot Kaur as the pace-bowling all-rounder. But…

India wicket-keeper Taniyaa Bhatia is set for a new chapter in her domestic career as she turns out for the Union Territory Cricket Association (UTCA) women’s side, having spent the last 13 years with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA). The 27-year-old will make her UTCA debut against her former team Punjab in the four-state women’s T20 tournament on September 26 at PCA Ground-B in New Chandigarh. Bhatia, the first woman cricketer from Chandigarh to represent India, rose to prominence after her international debut in 2018 against South Africa, soon after the 2017 Women’s World Cup. Though eligible to join UTCA…

Trisha Ghosal in Guwahati The countdown to the ICC Women’s World Cup has begun, with India set to open their campaign against Sri Lanka on September 30 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. For the host city, this tournament arrives at a delicate time. Guwahati is still reeling from the sudden loss of one of its most beloved cultural icons, singer Zubeen Garg. From the moment we landed in Guwahati on Wednesday, the mood was evident. Billboards, posters and banners across the city bore Garg’s face, his music playing softly in cafes and taxis. There was a palpable sense…

By Trisha Ghosal India’s preparations for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 suffered a major setback on Thursday when fast bowler Arundhati Reddy was wheelchaired off the field during the warm-up game against England in Bengaluru. The incident occurred in Reddy’s follow-through after she had already made an impact with the ball. Having dismissed opener Amy Jones, the pacer looked set to pouch a return catch from Heather Knight. Instead, she landed awkwardly on her left leg and collapsed in visible pain. Medical staff rushed in immediately. After initial attempts to assist her off the field proved unsuccessful, a wheelchair…

By Trisha Ghosal in New Delhi Australia closed out the ODI series in Delhi with a 412-run batting display and a composed defence in a high-scoring decider. Speaking after the match, Beth Mooney reflected on the lessons from the contest, India’s fearless chase, and the bigger picture ahead of the World Cup. On the 412 total and India’s chase “The style of play we came out with today was excellent,” Mooney said. “It was a flat wicket, once you got in you had to go big, and Georgia, Ellyse, and Ash all showed great intent. We probably fell away without…

By Trisha Ghosal in New Delhi After a run-fest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where Australia’s 412 was nearly matched by India in a 781-run decider, Indian vice captain Smriti Mandhana fronted the media to speak about India’s learnings from the series, the team’s strengths, and the road ahead to the World Cup. On team reliance and match-winners Mandhana dismissed suggestions that India’s batting leans too heavily on her. “Everyone in this squad is a match-winner, not just the eleven but all fifteen,” she said. “In the last 12 months, Pratika, Harleen, Jemimah, Harman—everyone has got a hundred. We’ve crossed…