The 13th edition of the Women’s World Cup kicked off in Guwahati with a match full of twists and turns. There was everything – a stunning opening ceremony, multiple rain breaks, a dramatic batting collapse, a three-wicket over, and a gutsy fightback. And right at the heart of it all was a memorable partnership between Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma that helped India recover from a shaky start at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
India in Trouble Early On
Things didn’t look good for India after they lost a flurry of wickets in the middle order. From 124/3, the team suddenly crumbled to 124/6. Inoka Ranaweera made the most of the spin-friendly pitch, tearing through the Indian lineup and sending big names like Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh back to the pavilion in quick succession. At that point, India seemed to be heading toward a disappointing total.
Amanjot and Deepti to the Rescue
But that’s when Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma stepped up and completely changed the mood. What started as an attempt to simply survive turned into an impressive counterattack. Slowly but steadily, they pushed India’s total past the 200-mark, and once they were set, they began to go after the bowling.
Both batters brought up their half-centuries and put together a brilliant 103-run partnership for the seventh wicket. It was only broken by a fantastic catch from Vishmi Gunaratne, and although they fell just 20 runs short of a Women’s World Cup record, their stand was still one for the books.
A Partnership for the History Books
Amanjot and Deepti became just the second pair ever to put together a 100-plus partnership for the seventh wicket in a Women’s World Cup match. Funnily enough, the only other pair to achieve this was also Indian – Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar, who stitched a 122-run stand against Pakistan during the 2022 World Cup.
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Here’s a look at the top seventh-wicket partnerships in Women’s World Cup history:
122 – Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar (IND vs PAK), Mount Maunganui, 2022
103 – Amanjot Kaur, Deepti Sharma (IND vs SL), Guwahati, 2025
85 – Jenny Gunn, Katherine Sciver-Brunt (ENG vs AUS), Bristol, 2017
66 – Ally Kuylaars, Denise Reid (SA vs PAK), Vadodara, 1997
64 – Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Nat Sciver-Brunt (ENG vs AUS), Hamilton, 2022
Late Fireworks and a Strong Finish
Once Amanjot and Deepti laid the foundation, Sneh Rana gave India the final push with a blazing cameo – an unbeaten 28 off just 15 balls. Thanks to her quick runs, India finished on 269 in 47 overs, as rain had trimmed the game slightly.
India Dominate with the Ball
Sri Lanka made a solid start in their chase, but India’s bowlers quickly took control. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, and the visitors never really recovered. India wrapped up the match comfortably in the end.
A Wake-Up Call Before Tougher Challenges
While it was a winning start for the Women in Blue, the match served as a reminder that stronger teams like Australia and South Africa won’t be as forgiving. Being 124/6 is a risky position, and India will want to avoid that situation again in the tournament.
But for now, the standout takeaway is the incredible partnership between Amanjot and Deepti – a fighting, determined effort that turned the game around and gave India the perfect start to their World Cup campaign.
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