2025 World Cup - Open Women: Day 1 Recap

A recap of results from Day 1 of the Open Women's division at the 2025 World Cup in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Summary

Six matches were held in the Open Women’s Division on the opening day of play yesterday, and there were little surprises with the top sides Australia, New Zealand and South Africa all picking up wins to set the tone for the tournament.

The division kicked off with UAE taking on debutants India. The Emiratis posted a dominant 134 in their turn at bat, led by a 55-run partnership from second pair pair Lakmali Rajapaksha and Shashikala De Silva who managed to take advantage of no-balls bowled in the sixth and eighth overs. India managed 83 in response, who managed to secure a skin in the first pair, as well as a 30-run score by third pair Gunjan Negi and Pushpa Latha. However, the chase was always going to be tough for India, with UAE prevailing comfortably by 51 runs.

New Zealand opened up their campaign against the home side Sri Lanka with a 67-run win, taking all four bonus skins in the process. 45 runs by Gemma Krebs and Makaylah Mason-Jones opening up their run chase in pursuit of Sri Lanka’s 56, whilst Hannah Francis topped the contributions with 22 runs and 2/1 with the ball. For Sri Lanka, Menuka Herath bowled well, taking 2/6 in her spell between the fourth and sixth overs, as well as ten runs.

South Africa hammered Singapore by a 177-run margin, with the South Africans piling up a mammoth 180 runs batting first.

Kyla Pita-Styles and Bernadette Cherdrawy standing out with a 46-run pair, whilst Gloria Coetzee provided the highest contribution of the match, taking 4/14 in addition to 19 runs. Anushka Tomar’s 13 off 11 in a partnership of 23 with Jyoti Sinha against a good South African attack was a highlight for the Singaporeans.

The defending champions Australia started their tournament in style with a 133-run thrashing of England. Batting first the Australians amassed 136, with Samantha Dixon scoring 27 personal including one big seven. The English struggled to provide much resistance in response, with Meagan Dixon taking six wickets, as 21 tumbled all told. Between Lauren Barclay’s 16 and skipper Malorie Bartosh-Short’s two wickets, England will look to take some positives into Sunday’s clash with New Zealand.

In their second match of the day, Australia put on their second 130+ score, comfortably despatching home side Sri Lanka by 18 runs, and claiming all bonus skins in the process.

In the final match of the day, South Africa went two from two after overcoming a tough UAE outfit by 26 runs, taking three skins in the process. Three of the Proteas’ pairs passed the 30-run mark, whilst Nicolene Boshoff took 4/-8 with the ball. UAE did take a point out of the game, buoyed by 39 runs from the third pair.