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Indian Womenâ€s World Cup match against Bangladesh remained inconsequential due to incessant rain at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.

In the rain-affected 27-over-a-side match, India were 57 without loss in 8.4 overs after holding Bangladesh to 119 for 9. However, continued rain forced the officials to abandon the game. Indiaâ€s revised target had been set at 126 runs from 27 overs.

Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was on 34 not out and Amanjot Kaur was unbeaten on 15 when the match ended, and the two teams shared a point.

India ended the league stage with three wins from seven matches, and the washout added a point to their tally, taking them to seven points and securing a fourth-place finish.

By virtue of winning a point, Bangladesh overtook Pakistan to the seventh spot.

The hosts suffered a major blow when opener Pratika Rawal hurt her ankle and knee while fielding, leading to serious concerns on her availability for the next match.

Meanwhile, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) informed, “Team India all-rounder Pratika Rawal sustained an injury to her knee and ankle while fielding in the first innings against Bangladesh. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring her progress.â€

India will take on Australia in the semifinal on Thursday.

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Two players from the Australian women’s cricket team were reportedly stalked and molested on Thursday in Indore, the venue for their 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup clash against South Africa.

As per a report in Times of India, the incident occurred when the players were returning to their hotel from a cafe on Thursday morning.

A bystander succeeded in noting down the motorcycle number of the suspect, based on which an accused named Akil Khan has been arrested.

“Khan has prior criminal cases registered against him,” a police official said.

The players immediately alerted Australian team’s security manager Danny Simmons of the incident. He contacted the team’s local security liaison following which a vehicle was arranged for the players.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered later on Thursday evening.

#News | According to multiple reports, two Australian cricketers, competing at the ongoing Womenâ€s World Cup, were allegedly stalked and molested in Indore.

The players had stepped out of their hotel and were going to a nearby cafe when the incident happened. The accused has… pic.twitter.com/Dk8y1S3OvV

— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) October 25, 2025

Australia are slated to play South Africa at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore in what is their final league stage match at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup on Friday.

Alyssa Healy and co have already qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament and are currently placed on top of the points table with 11 points in 6 matches.

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India suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of England in the ICC Women’s World Cup in Indore (Images via AP) Indore: What transpired here has to be one of the most heart-breaking defeats ever suffered by the Indian Womenâ€s cricket team, and it puts their qualification to the semifinals of the 2025 Womenâ€s ODI World Cup in real danger.Riding on fine half-centuries by senior batters Smriti Mandhana (88 from 84 deliveries), captain Harmanpreet Kaur (70 runs from as many balls) and Deepti Sharma, who produced a brilliant all-round performance (50 from 57 deliveries and 4-51 in 10 overs), India looked set to chase down 289, which wouldâ€ve been their highest-ever run chase in WODIs, but fell just four runs short on a smoggy night at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday.Pulling off a thrilling win by keeping their nerves, England became the third team after Australia and South Africa to qualify for the semifinals, while India, who suffered their third loss in a row, must now defeat New Zealand at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on October 23 to sneak in as the fourth semifinalists. This was also the first time that the Indian women’s team played a WODI at the Holkar Stadium.The star of Englandâ€s victory was their former captain Heather Knight, who was removed as the skipper last year after England exited the semifinals of the Womenâ€s T20 World Cup and lost the Ashes to Australia 16-0. Playing in her landmark 300th international match, Knight indeed proved to be England’s ‘Knight in shining armour’ as she smashed a splendid century (109 off 91 balls, featuring 15 boundaries and a six) which helped her team post a competitive 288 for eight against the hosts. India needed 14 off the last over with allrounders Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana in the middle, but left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who conceded just 1-40 in 10 overs in a high-scoring game, gave away just nine. Chasing 289 under lights, India suffered two early blows when opener Pratika Rawal (6) was caught behind off Lauren Bell in the third over, who returned to action after missing the last match due to illness and number 3 batter Harleen Deol (24 off 31 balls) caught plumb in front while trying to play across to off-spinner Charlie Dean. The duo of Harmanpreet and Mandhana put on 125 in 122 balls for the third wicket to raise visions of an easy win, but India kept losing wickets at the wrong time. Trying to cut the ball repeatedly towards third man, Harmanpreet was caught at short third off England captain Nat-Sciver Brunt in the 31st over. Tiring due to cramps, Mandhana holed out to long off off Smith in the 42nd over. Sciver-Brunt then had Richa Ghosh (eight off 10 balls) caught at cover in the 46th over, and suddenly, India, falling behind the required run rate, had no one to force the pace. Once Deepti slog-swept Sophie Ecclestone to deep mid-wicket in the 47th over, the game was in Englandâ€s hands. Earlier, displaying her amazing prowess at sweeping the spinners, the 34-year-old Knight powered to her third ODI ton and highest-ever score in WODIs. Rotating the strike brilliantly while unleashing boundaries too, she stitched a 113-run stand off 106 deliveries with skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt.Earlier in the competition, against Bangladesh in Guwahati, England had slipped to a precarious 103 for 6, before their former captain took them home with an unbeaten 79.However, it wasn’t just Knight alone who stamped her authority on the game. At a time when India were searching for answers after ‘keeper-bat Amy Jones (56 off 68) and Tammy Beaumont (22 off 43) provided England with a steady 73-run start in 97 balls, Deepti brought India back in the game by scalping both the wickets. Deepti finished with her best-ever figures in ODI World Cups and with 13 sticks in five matches, stands apart as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament.After Knight was finally gone – run out due to a brilliant work at deep square leg by Amanjot Kaur, who recovered quickly after a misfield and fired in a pin-point accurate throw in the 45th over – India bounced back in sensational fashion, taking five wickets for 39 runs. In fact, all that England, with their middle-order frailties exposed once again, managed to score, was 42 runs in their last six overs, losing five wickets, with two of them being run outs. Things wouldâ€ve been worse for England had they not managed to take 11 off the final over of the innings, bowled by Shree Charani.

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How do you feel about India’s chances of qualifying for the semifinals after this loss?

Introduced into the attack in the 16th over, Deepti dislodged Beaumont’s leg stump after the batter missed a sweep, thus recording her 150th WODI scalp in her 117th WODI.Making a comeback at the expense of batter Jemimah Rodrigues, seamer Renuka Singh Thakur justified Indiaâ€s decision to play six bowlers by conceding 0-37 in eight overs, though she failed to make an early strike.

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India’s losing streak at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup extended to three matches as they went down to England at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday.

Half centuries from Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, and Deepti Sharma went in vain as the hosts snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Having been asked to bowl first, India restricted England to 288/8 in their quota of 50 overs.

It was a brilliant comeback from the Indian bowling unit after the experienced Heather Knight blasted her way to a 91-ball 109.

The former England captain was well supported by opener and wicketkeeper Amy Jones, who scored a 68-ball 56 before falling to the off-spin of Sharma.

Sharma was the standout performer with the ball for India, finishing with figures of 4/51 in her ten overs. The young Sree Charani was expensive but picked up the other two wickets.

Asked to chase down what would have been a record Indian chase in Women’s World Cup history, India fell short by the barest of margins.

This was after Mandhana (88) and Harmanpreet (70) stitched a 125-run stand for the fourth wicket.

#News | India fall to third straight loss at 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup🇮🇳💔

Half centuries from Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Deepti Sharma in vain as the hosts fall short by 4 runs

ENG: 288/8 (50)
IND: 284/6 (50)#Cricket #CWC25 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/1yRTWIOWPZ

— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) October 19, 2025

After Harmanpreet fell to Nat Sciver-Brunt, Mandhana found an able ally in Sharma (50).

But once Mandhana was snapped up by Linsey Smith in the 42nd over, the Indian chase derailed spectacularly.

India needed just 55 runs to win at the fall of Mandhana, but eventually fell short by four runs.

The win assured an unbeaten England of a semi-final spot, joining Australia and South Africa.

The loss for India, on the other hand, leaves them at a precarious spot with their next match against New Zealand on Thursday essentially turning into a quarter-final.

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Captaining the Indian cricket team is probably the most high-pressure job in world cricket, and definitely the most rewarding if the side attains success, especially in ICC events.

The Indian cricket team-ergo the BCCI-has become an epicenter of the cash flow of international cricket due to the billion fans that tune in on the television and digital sets and the thousands and thousands who flock to the stands whenever and wherever the Men In Blue play.

Team India has been blessed with some ingenious captains who have fulfilled the dreams of the fans of lifting the ICC trophy.

Let us check out the list of Indian captains who have won ICC trophy:

Kapil Dev – 1983 World Cup

The 1983 World Cup was then known as the Prudential World Cup, hosted by England. The Kapil Dev-led Indian team was the underdog, with barely anyone giving them a chance of even reaching the semi-finals.

However, not only did India reach the knockouts, but they also beat the two-time champions and defending champions, Clive Lloydâ€s West Indies, in the final.

That victory turned a page in Indian cricketâ€s history as India kicked off their journey to becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Sourav Ganguly – 2002 ICC Champions Trophy

Not many fans of the current generation would remember it, but India did win an ICC title under Sourav Ganguly—the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy held in Sri Lanka. One of the reasons for this is because India were the joint winner with Sri Lanka.

India met Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo. However, the final did not yield a result due to rain. That is despite the game being played twice: unfortunately, in those days, the match had to be restarted on the reserve day, so while across two days, more than 100 overs were bowled, both times Sri Lanka batted first, and Indiaâ€s innings didnâ€t reach the 20-over cut-off mark even once.

India and Sri Lanka were the joint winner of the ICC Champions Trophy 2002.

MS Dhoni – 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy

Hailed as Indiaâ€s greatest white-ball skipper by many, MS Dhoniâ€s captaincy legacy is cemented through the three ICC title wins under the Ranchi-born.

Leading in his maiden ICC tournament, Dhoni marshaled a young Indian team to the inaugural T20 World Cup trophy in 2007 in South Africa, beating Pakistan in the final.

In his first ODI World Cup as a skipper in 2011 at home, Dhoni, through his memorable 91* in the final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai, helped India and Sachin Tendulkar end the long wait for an ODI World Cup.

Two years later, Dhoniâ€s Indian team won all their matches on their way to winning the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, thumping hosts England in an epic final at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Rohit Sharma – 2024 T20 World Cup, 2025 ICC Champions Trophy

After winning the 2013 Champions Trophy, India endured a wait of 11 years to lift another ICC title, as Rohit Sharmaâ€s team produced a terrific unbeaten campaign at the 2024 T20 World Cup, with the final being a last-over thriller against South Africa in Barbados.

Less than a year later, Rohit lifted another ICC trophy as India once again won all their matches in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In the final, India triumphed over New Zealand in Dubai, with Rohit bagging the Man of the Match award.

Rohit would have matched—maybe even outdone—Dhoniâ€s legacy as Indiaâ€s white-ball skipper had India won the 2023 final, which they lost to Australia in Ahmedabad after winning 10 consecutive matches.

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Indian Cricket Team opener Abhishek Sharma has won the ICC Player of the Month Men award for September 2025. Meanwhile, Indian Womenâ€s Cricket Team star batter Smriti Mandhana has lifted the ICC Womenâ€s Player of the Month award.

Since January 2021, ICC has been awarding the menâ€s and womenâ€s player of the month award to players who have performed exceptionally on the international level in the span of a month. Three players are nominated from both categories.

The nominees and winners are determined by an ICC panel of ex-cricketers and journalists. The public also has a 10% contribution in the process.

Abhishek Sharma and Smriti Mandhana Win ICC POTM

The ICC Player of the Month menâ€s category for September had three nominations, two of which were Indian. The nominees were Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav of India, and Zimbabwean batter Brian Bennett.

Bennett had a fantastic month. First, he was his teamâ€s highest run scorer in a T20I series against Sri Lanka, and then he was the Player of the Series against Namibia. Lastly, in three 2026 T20I World Cup qualifying matches, he made two half-centuries.

The other nominee was Kuldeep Yadav, who played seven matches in the ACC Asia Cup 2025 for the Indian Cricket Team. He was the highest-wicket taker in the tournament, taking 17 in seven games at an amazing average of 9.29 and an economy of just over six.

But it was Abhishek Sharma, the Player of the Tournament in the 2025 Asia Cup, that took home the award. He made the most runs in a T20I Asia Cup, making 314 in seven games at an average of 44.85, making three half-centuries and six games where he scored 30 or over.

But it was his strike rate of 200 across the competition that made him the Player of the Tournament and now the ICC Men Player of the Month for September 2025.Â

An Indian player has won this menâ€s award for three months running. In July 2025, Indiaâ€s Test captain Shubman Gill lifted the award for making 567 runs in three Tests that month at an average of 94.50. Then, in August, Mohammed Siraj, who was named the Player of the Match for the last India vs England Test, was named the ICC Player of the Month.

On the other hand, Smriti Mandhana won the ICC Women Player of the Month for September 2025. This category had a lot more competition among the three nominees, who were Mandha, South Africaâ€s Tazmin Brits, and Pakistanâ€s Sidra Ameen.

Ameen had a solid month on an individual level, making 293 runs in three ODIs against the Proteas, which involved a 150-ball 121* in a losing effort. 110 balls for 122 in a losing effort, and then an unbeaten 50 in the last match of the series, where Sidra took her team to victory.

The other nominee was Tazmin Brits from South Africa, who played in only the first two ODIs against Pakistan but made 272 runs. In the first, she scored 101*, and in the second, she scored a whopping 171*.

But it was Smriti Mandhana who was named the Player of the Month. She too scored many runs, but did so against the best team in the world, Australia.

In three ODIs against the Aussies, Smriti made 58 runs as India lost the game. The Women in Blue won the second game as Mandhana made 117 runs. In the last match of the series, India lost again, but that was despite the veteran batterâ€s 125 in just 63 balls. She was naturally named the Player of the Series and is now the ICC Womenâ€s Player of the Month.

This monthâ€s awards are exceptional for the Indian Cricket Team fans. While 12 different Indians have won this award on 17 different occasions across both categories, it has never happened that an Indian won in the same month in both categories.

FAQs –

Q) Who was the Menâ€s ICC Player of the Month for August 2025?

A) The last monthâ€s award went to the Indian Cricket Team pacer Mohammad Siraj. In August 2025, Siraj played only one Test match, the final game of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. In that match, he took nine wickets at an average of 21.11. On the womenâ€s side, it was Irelandâ€s Orla Prendergast.

Q) How Many Indians Have Won The ICC Player Of The Month Award?

A) Since the inception of this award in January 2021 in January 2021, 12 different Indians have won the Player of the Month award on 17 occasions in the Menâ€s and Womenâ€s categories. While Indian women have won the award thrice, men have won it 14 times.

Q) Which Indian player has won the most ICC Player of the Month awards?

A) The Indian with the most ICC Player of the Month awards is Shubman Gill, who has won the award on four occasions, the last time of which was in July 2025, a month in which he scored 567 runs in three tests at an average of 94.50.

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As India fell to their second successive defeat at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup with a three-wicket loss against Australia on Sunday, coach Amol Muzumdar stressed on the importance of finishing well.

Muzumdar pointed out how his wards failed to close out the match against South Africa with the ball and then again fell at least 20 runs short with the bat against Australia after getting off to a good start.

“I always say in the dressing room that we need a good start but we need to have an even better finish,” Muzumdar said in the post-match press conference.

“The finish that we had against South Africa, we ended up losing the game in the last five overs with the ball. Even today [against Australia] if we had gotten another 20 runs, maybe things could have been different.

“At the same time, it has been a gradual progress for us and there have been a lot of learnings. I keep talking about positives and learnings and one of the things to learn is how to finish well,” the coach added.

Having been asked to bat first against Australia, India got off to a stellar start as openers Smriti Mandhana (80) and Pratika Rawal (75) added 155 runs for the opening partnership. The hosts were later bowled out for 330 with more than an over to spare.

Australia, in response, chased down the target with an over left, thanks to a stunning century by captain and opener Alyssa Healy (142). It marked the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history.

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Smriti Mandhana is 12 runs short of overtaking Belinda Clark’s 28-year-old record. (ANI) Indian opener Smriti Mandhana is approaching a significant milestone in women’s ODI cricket as she needs just 12 runs to surpass Australian legend Belinda Clark’s record for most runs in a calendar year when India face South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup match on Thursday.India enter the match undefeated after victories against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, while South Africa recently rebounded with a win against New Zealand following their 10-wicket loss to England.Mandhana has had a modest start to the tournament with scores of 8 and 23 against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, respectively. However, her overall 2025 performance has been impressive with 959 runs in 16 innings at an average of 59.93 and a strike rate exceeding 113, including four centuries and three fifties.The record Mandhana aims to break was set by Belinda Clark in 1997, who scored 970 runs in 16 matches across 14 innings. Clark’s remarkable year included three centuries and four fifties, with an average of 80.83 and a strike rate of 98.11, highlighted by her unbeaten 229.Another milestone awaits Mandhana as she is 81 runs away from reaching 5,000 ODI runs. This achievement would make her the second Indian after Mithali Raj and the fifth woman overall to reach this mark.Mandhana’s current ODI career statistics stand at 4,919 runs in 110 matches at an average of 47.29 and a strike rate of 89.71, including 13 centuries and 32 fifties.Most runs in a calendar year in Women’s ODIs:YearPlayerCountryRuns1997Belinda ClarkAustralia9702025Smriti MandhanaIndia959*2022Laura WolvaardtSouth Africa8821997Deborah Ann HockleyNew Zealand8802016Amy Ella SatterthwaiteNew Zealand853

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The nominees list for the menâ€s and womenâ€s ICC Player of the Month awards for September 2025 has been released. Today, we will discuss and speculate upon who will win these awards.

The three-man list of nominated players for the menâ€s POTM award is Indiaâ€s Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav, and Zimbabweâ€s Brian Bennett.

Meanwhile, the womenâ€s nominees list includes Indiaâ€s Smriti Mandhana, Pakistanâ€s Sidra Amin, and South Africaâ€s Tazmin Brits.

Who Will Win ICC Player of the Month September Award?

Who Will Be Menâ€s Player Of The Month?

But who are the favourites to win these awards? Letâ€s check out the menâ€s nominations. First up, Brian Bennett. The Zimbabwean opening batter had a very productive September. First came a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, where he scored 113 runs in three matches, including a fantastic 81 in the first game.

Then, in a three-T20I series against Namibia, Bennett scored a 95 and a 40, being named the Player of the Series. Then, finally, in the three matches of the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers, all of which Zimbabwe won, Brian scored 72, 65, and 11 against Uganda, Botswana, and Tanzania, respectively.

Second on the list is Abhishek Sharma, who was Indiaâ€s best player in the ACC Asia Cup 2025. The swashbuckling opener played seven matches in the competition, scoring six 30+ scores and three 50s. His 314 runs in seven games at a strike rate of 200 saw Sharma become the Player of the Tournament of the Asia Cup.

The last, but certainly not the least, player in the ICC Player of the Month menâ€s nominees list is Kuldeep Yadav, who too had an excellent Asia Cup 2025. The left-arm wrist-spinner took 17 wickets in seven games at an awesome average of 9.29. Kuldeep saved his best performance for the final, where he bowled a brilliant spell of 4/30 against Pakistan.

So, who will win the Menâ€s Player of the Month award for September 2025? While Brian Bennett had the most productive month, and Kuldeep was by far the best-performing bowler in the Asia Cup, Abhishek Yadav is by far the favourite to win this award. This is because he had what is being considered by many the best campaign for a batter in a T20 Asia Cup competition.

Who Will Be Womenâ€s Player Of The Month?

Now, letâ€s shift our attention to the womenâ€s award, and the competition is much tighter here. The first nominee here is star Indian batter Smriti Mandhana. Smriti had an excellent month of September, in which she played four official matches. First was a three-match ODI series against Australia. In the first match, she scored 58 runs, while in the second, she scored a ton and led the Indian Womenâ€s Cricket Team to a 102-run lead.

In the last match of the series, Smriti scored the second-fastest century in Womenâ€s ODIs, doing so in just 50 deliveries. Despite that, India failed to chase a mammoth target of 413. Then, finally, in the first match of the Womenâ€s World Cup 2025, she had her only underwhelming match of the month, scoring just eight runs. This means that in four matches in September, Smriti Mandhana scored 308 runs and made two centuries and a half-century.

The next two batters are quite connected in their nomination. Pakistanâ€s Sidra Ameen and South Africaâ€s Tazmin Brits played only three and two matches this month, respectively, all of which were against each otherâ€s teams. First, letâ€s discuss Ameen, who, in the three ODIs against the Proteas, scored 293 runs. In the first ODI, she made 121* in 150 balls in a losing effort, and then, in the second match, she made 122 off 110 in another loss.

Finally, in her third and final match of the series, Sidra scored 50* in a small chase to take her team to their only win in the series.

Meanwhile, in the same series, Tazmin Brits played only two games but scored a whopping 272 runs. In the first match of the series, she scored an unbeaten 101 and took her team to victory. Then, in the second match, the Brits†massive 171* took South Africa to a match and series win. And so, despite missing the third match, Tazmin was named the Player of the Series.

So, who will be named the ICC Womenâ€s Player of the Month for September 2025? First, as harsh as it is for not winning any Player of the Match awards this month, Sidra Ameen is the least favourite to win this award, despite averaging over 100 this month.

This means it comes down to Smriti Mandhana and Tazmin Brits. And practically, it’s a toss-up between the two. Both of them won the Player of the Match award once and were named the Player of the Series. And while Brits had a more impressive month statistically, Smriti too scored 300 runs in three matches, and that too against a powerhouse like Australia. So naturally, either of the two can win this award.

FAQs –

Q) Who was the Menâ€s ICC Player of the Month for August 2025?

A) The award last month went to the Indian Cricket Team bowler Mohammad Siraj. In August, Siraj played only one Test match, the final game of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. In that match, he took nine wickets at an average of 21.11.

Q) How Many Indians Have Won The ICC Player Of The Month Award?

A) Since the inception of this award in January 2021, 12 different Indians have won the Player of the Month award on 17 occasions in the Menâ€s and Womenâ€s categories. While Indian women have won the award thrice, men have won it 14 times.

Q) Which Indian player has won the most ICC Player of the Month awards?

A) The Indian with the most ICC Player of the Month awards is Shubman Gill, who has won the award on four occasions, the last time of which was in July 2025, a month in which he scored 567 runs in three tests at an average of 94.50.

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Pacer Kranti Gaud was the star of the show as India beat Pakistan by 88 runs at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in Colombo on Sunday.

Gaud not only scored 8 runs with two boundaries off just four deliveries in the first innings but also later returned to torment Pakistan with bowling figures of 3/20 to help India to a second consecutive win of the World Cup.

“It was my first India-Pakistan match. I never read too much into the past and off-field situations,” Gaud said in the post-match press conference.

“I mind my own business. If I have been entrusted to bowl, I just run in and bowl,” she further added when prodded if the player relations between the two teams had deteriorated due to the recent political tensions between the two nations.

The Indian and women’s Pakistan cricket team have shared cordial relations over the years. At the 2022 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Indians were seen playing with the then Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof’s toddler.

The situation was completely different in Colombo on Sunday with the two teams not shaking hands, a trend which was started by the men’s teams at the recently concluded 2025 Asia Cup.

Despite playing the high pressure India-Pakistan match for the first time in her career, Gaud was ever reliant. He three wickets included opener Sadaf Shamas, the experienced Aliya Riaz, and Natalia Pervaiz.

The wicket of Riaz, in particular, stood out. Back for her second spell after a break, captain Harmanpreet Kaur suggested Gaud to remove the slip cordon. The youngster, however, insisted on having it.

“I requested her [Harmanpreet] to keep the slip for just one more over because I felt I might get a wicket there. And it happened…I did have trust in myself,” said Kranti.

With the overcast conditions aiding pace bowlers in Colombo, Kranti took full advantage to win the Player of the Match award in what was just her career’s second World Cup match.

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