Whenever India and Pakistan face off on a cricket field, you expect drama and high stakes. But the clash at the ICC Women's World Cup, 2025 in Colombo took things to a whole new level. We saw a confusing toss, a disciplined bowling performance, a game delayed by bugs, and a stunning late-innings rescue mission that left India with a solid total of 247. It was an innings that had a bit of everything and set the stage for a nail-biting chase.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Richa Ghosh's explosive 35 off 20 balls dramatically lifted India to a competitive total of 247.
- ✓ A bizarre toss confusion marked the start, with the referee mishearing Pakistan captain Fatima Sana's call.
- ✓ Play was bizarrely halted for 15 minutes as the ground was fumigated to clear a swarm of insects.
- ✓ Diana Baig led Pakistan's sharp bowling attack, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 69.
- ✓ India set a unique record for the highest team total in Women's ODIs without a single fifty-plus partnership.
A Bizarre Start: The Toss-Up That Wasn't
You see, the weirdness started before a single ball was even bowled. At the coin toss, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur flipped the coin, and her Pakistani counterpart, Fatima Sana, clearly called 'tails'. But here’s the thing—both the match referee, Shandre Fritz, and the announcer, Mel Jones, misheard it as 'heads'.
As fate would have it, the coin landed on heads. So, the toss was awarded to Pakistan, and Sana, probably a bit bewildered but not complaining, chose to field under the grey Colombo skies. Interestingly, Harmanpreet didn't object at the time, and the game just moved on. Adding to the tense atmosphere, the two captains continued the recent trend seen in men's cricket by opting not to shake hands at the toss, a small but telling sign of the rivalry's intensity.
Pakistan's Bowlers Apply the Squeeze
With the decision to bowl first, Pakistan came out with a clear plan. They opened with left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal, but quickly reverted to their trusted new-ball pair of Diana Baig and Fatima Sana. Baig found assistance from the conditions right away, beating the bat consistently even though Pratika Rawal hit her for three straight boundaries early on.
The pressure was on. Smriti Mandhana, one of India's key batters, just couldn't get going. Sana, in particular, bowled incredibly tight lines, cutting off her favorite scoring areas on the offside. The frustration built, and Mandhana eventually fell lbw to a sharp inswinger from Sana for 23, burning a review on her way out. The introduction of more spin only tightened the screws, and the dot balls piled up—a staggering 78 of them in the first 20 overs.
The middle order couldn't break free either. Even captain Harmanpreet Kaur fell without making a significant impact, leaving India in a precarious position at 108 for 3 after 25 overs. It felt like Pakistan had complete control, and India was desperately searching for a partnership to steady the ship. The responsibility fell squarely on the shoulders of Harleen Deol, who had managed to get a start.
Mid-Innings Grind and a Creepy-Crawly Interruption
Just as Harleen Deol and Jemimah Rodrigues were trying to build something, the innings hit another patch of turbulence. Rodrigues got a massive slice of luck when she was caught behind off a Diana Baig delivery, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball. She immediately capitalized, smashing the resulting free-hit for a boundary. Their partnership started to look promising, but they struggled to lift the scoring rate against Pakistan's disciplined attack.
Then, just when you thought things couldn't get any stranger, the match came to a complete standstill. A massive swarm of insects descended on the R Premadasa Stadium, forcing the players off the field. For a full 15 minutes, the game was paused while the playing area at Khettarama was fumigated. It was a surreal moment in a high-stakes World Cup match.
Unfortunately for India, the break worked in Pakistan's favor. In consecutive overs after the restart, Pakistan struck twice. First, Rameen Shamim had Deol caught at long-on for a well-made 46. Then, Nashra Sandhu trapped Rodrigues lbw for 32 after a successful review. Suddenly, India was in deep trouble again, and the struggle to post a competitive score was very real.
Richa Ghosh's Late Fireworks Steal the Show
With the top order gone and the run rate stagnating, India needed a hero. And they found one in Richa Ghosh. Coming in at No. 8 in the 45th over, she completely changed the complexion of the game. On a pitch where almost every other batter had struggled to time the ball, Ghosh looked like she was playing on a different surface entirely.
She immediately went on the attack, showing incredible power and intent. She punished the fast bowlers, smashing a slower delivery from Sana over wide long-on for a huge six. Wickets kept falling around her, but it didn't faze her one bit. In the 48th over, she took Diana Baig for 13 runs, showcasing her fearless brand of cricket.
Her blistering knock of 35 from just 20 balls, which included two sixes and three boundaries, was the game-changer. Along with a couple of late boundaries from Kranti Goud, Ghosh’s cameo propelled India to 247. It was an incredible finish that turned a potentially subpar total into what seemed like an above-par score on that challenging pitch. It was a testament to her talent and temperament under immense pressure.
Conclusion
So, what a wild ride that first innings was. From the chaotic toss confusion to the disciplined squeeze from Pakistan's bowlers, it felt like India was on the back foot for most of the game. The bizarre 15-minute delay for fumigation only added to the stop-start nature of the innings. But in the end, the sheer brilliance of Richa Ghosh turned the tables, giving India a fighting chance with a total that looked much bigger than the sum of its parts. Pakistan now faces the second-highest chase ever in Colombo to win, setting up a thrilling second half.
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