India aim to extend perfect ODI record over Pakistan

Two days out from the hyped India-Pakistan World Cup clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium, it was business as usual. Almost.

The Indian team had opted to utilize the only off-day at the match venue to get a feel of the ground having come to Colombo at a time which is usually the start of season back home. They went through their routine fielding drills under the lights - high-catching in one corner and slip-catching in another, even as the groundstaff methodically covered the main square anticipating the inevitable dew. But just as the session was settling into its rhythm, a slithering twist stole the spotlight. You could tell there were foreigners around for the amount of concern its presence drew, but for the staff of Premadasa, Grandaiya- a non-venomous rat snake in Sinhala - is a house resident, and one of their own. Even the wild "wanted a front-row seat" now that India had come to play.

The rest of the session was fairly routine, India banking on their knowledge and experience of conditions of the ground having just visited in May. The tri-series success at the very venue holds them in good stead for a short, one-game trip but there are wrinkles that could be ironed out.

On paper, India did hit the ground running in Guwahati by surviving the Sri Lankan scare. But their vaunted top-five was challenged right away and their batting-depth was thoroughly tested. With the expectations of a deep run into the tournament, India would want to use this opportunity to start firing on all cylinders before the games against tougher opponents stack up immediately upon their return home.

Pakistan, on the other hand, went down to Bangladesh in their tournament opener betraying their recent form and grit against South Africa at home. They're afforded the rare advantage of being based out of a single venue, but in a schedule that's only coming up with more gruelling games, every such slip-up is going to cost heavily. On top of which, there's unwanted attention to deal with.

For any India vs Pakistan clash the hype remains independent of the teams' current form or past results. It is no different in Colombo. Moreover, the fervour from three tension-filled India-Pakistan clashes in the 2025 Men's Asia Cup has evidently transferred onto the build-up of this Women's World Cup, making it a rivalry which it is not on the field. Not in ODIs, at least. It's the kind of game where cliches become the truth - the team that handles external pressures better wins. The two, therefore, have been keen on shunning any outside noise and keeping the focus solely on the 100 overs ahead of them.

Or maybe less - if rain gods have their way on Sunday.

When: Sunday, October 5 at 3:00 PM local and IST

Where: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

What to expect: A wet start to the day is on the cards. It will likely be a delayed start to the game, if not a rain-curtailed game in itself, and the conditions could likely dictate combinations different from the last time the two teams played here.

Head-to-head: It's been very lop-sided contests with India comfortably registering big wins in all of the 11 matches in the format against the neighbours. The record is 4-0 in World Cups.

Team News

India

Sneh Rana and Amanjot Kaur were notable absentees from India's first practice session in Colombo. Match-eve was an optional session where only Arundhati Reddy and Uma Chetri turned up for a batting session in indoor nets, which could be an indication of what India are leaning towards. After skipping bowling practice altogether in Guwahati and subsequently rested for that game, Renuka Thakur did return to action in Premadasa nets.

Probable XI: Smriit Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Arundhati Reddy/Kranti Gaud

Pakistan

After the defeat against Bangladesh, Pakistan are likely to ring in changes - the most important one of which could be bringing in a leg-spinner for a right-heavy India batting line-up.

Probable XI: Muneeba Ali, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Amin, Aliya Riaz, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana (c), Syeda Aroob Shah, Nashra Sandhu, Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal

Did you know?

- Smriti Mandhana is only 104 runs away from becoming only the second Indian, after Mithali Raj (7805), and fifth overall to score 5000 runs in WODIs

- Smriti Mandhana (936) needs another 35 for the most runs in a calendar year in Women's ODIs, beating Belinda Clark's record of 970 in 1997

- India's run-rate of 6.36 in 2025 is second only to New Zealand's 6.57 in 2018 for a team in a calendar year

What they said:

"There is a lot of info available for us. I mean, there is a lot of info. There are performance analysts who give us a lot of info regarding them. There's a lot of video footage. There are a lot of patterns that you can figure out how a team is playing, how an individual is playing. So, on the basis of that, you can derive a lot of plans out of it," - India bowling coach Avishkar Salvion the challenge of preparing against a side they don't meet in bilaterals.

"Their support is very important to me because they always stand by me. They know I have room to make mistakes, and if I do, they help me. Seniors like Sidra, Alia, and even Diana always make sure the team stays united. If someone makes a mistake, someone else immediately covers it up. The way our team is right now, and the unity we have - obviously as a young captain it's challenging, but with their support, I don't feel it much," - Pakistan captain Fatima Sana on managing seniors as a young captain