Lanning: India's Win in WC Opener vs Sri Lanka Key to Relieving Pressure

Former Australia captain Meg Lanning has urged India’s women’s cricket team to deliver a strong performance in their Women’s World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on September 30 in Guwahati to alleviate the intense pressure of hosting the tournament. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India aims to secure their first-ever Women’s World Cup title, having come close in 2005 and 2017. Lanning, a World Cup winner in 2013 and 2022, emphasized that a victory in the opening match could set the tone for India’s campaign and ease expectations from home fans.

India enters the tournament following a 2-1 ODI series loss to Australia, where Smriti Mandhana’s back-to-back centuries and Deepti Sharma’s spin bowling stood out. Lanning, who retired in 2023 with over 8,000 international runs, highlighted the importance of a winning start to build momentum. “If India can play a good solid game up front, get the win on the board, it might calm them down a bit,” she said on The ICC Review. With India hosting the tournament for the fourth time, a strong start is crucial for their semifinal aspirations.

Both teams boast formidable spin attacks, which Lanning believes will be pivotal. India’s lineup includes top-ranked spinner Deepti Sharma, alongside Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, and newcomer Sree Charani. Sri Lanka counters with experienced bowlers like Inoka Ranaweera, captain Chamari Athapaththu, and all-rounders Dewmi Vihanga and Kaveesha Dilhari. The teams’ familiarity, having split a closely contested 2-1 ODI series in Sri Lanka earlier this year, adds intrigue to the matchup.

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Lanning advised that World Cup group stages are about securing wins, not necessarily playing flawless cricket. “You don’t need to play your best cricket, but you do need to win,” she said, drawing from her experience in Australia’s title-winning campaigns. For India, a victory against Sri Lanka could provide the momentum needed to navigate the tournament’s later stages and finally claim the elusive World Cup trophy.

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