India’s practice turns chaotic as Snake invades ground before Women’s World Cup clash vs Pakistan

Following a convincing victory over Sri Lanka in their opening match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, Harmanpreet Kaur’s India will face Fatima Sana’s Pakistan in their next game. However, preparations at the R. Premadasa Stadium were briefly interrupted on Friday evening when a snake entered the stadium.

India's women's team will play their first match against Pakistan's women's team since the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. There had been plenty of bad blood during the recently concluded Men’s Asia Cup 2025. Notably, the heated rivalry between the teams is expected to carry over into this clash.

Snake Halts India’s Preparations Ahead of Women’s World Cup Clash Against Pakistan

On Friday, as Harmanpreet Kaur's team moved from the centre wicket towards the nets, a greyish-brown snake was spotted slithering along the drains and stands.

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The unexpected sight did not cause any panic, but it drew laughter and curiosity from the players, support staff, and media present at the venue. The reptile’s presence added an amusing twist to the team’s practice session, capturing the attention of everyone around.

“It’s not venomous. It doesn’t bite. It’s a Garandiya, just looking for rats," PTI quoted a venue official as saying.

The harmless rat snake, locally called “Garandiya,” caused more amusement than alarm at the R. Premadasa Stadium. This reptile has made multiple appearances at the venue, including during Lanka Premier League matches and a Sri Lanka-Bangladesh ODI in July 2025.

It Was Not An Easy Game - Harmanpreet Kaur

The India women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, is unlikely to shake hands with Pakistan in their upcoming match, following a similar refusal to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi at the conclusion of the previous tournament.

The Women in Blue began their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign with a win over co-hosts Sri Lanka in Guwahati. After collapsing to 124/6, Deepti Sharma (53) and Amanjot Kaur (57) added a 103-run partnership, helping India reach a competitive total above 270 in the 47-over contest.

Deepti Sharma then contributed with the ball, taking three wickets as India secured a 59-run victory in the rain-affected match. Harmanpreet highlighted the hard work required for the win.

"It was not an easy game. We know in ICC tournaments, every game is high-pressure. The way Amanjot and Deepti handled the situation was outstanding to watch," captain Harmanpreet said after the match.

India Women Never Lost to Pakistan Women in ODI Cricket

Meanwhile, the Pakistan women’s team suffered a heavy seven-wicket loss to Bangladesh in Colombo. They managed to score just 129 runs in 38.3 overs, with only Rameen Shamim (23) and Fatima Sana (22) offering any notable resistance.

Bangladesh spinners, led by Shorna Akter (3/19) and Marufa Akter (2/28), dismantled the batting lineup. Rubya Haider then finished the chase with an unbeaten 54, guiding Bangladesh to victory in 31.1 overs.

Pakistan will need to improve both their batting and bowling if they hope to challenge India in their upcoming match. The Women in Green have three wins in 16 T20Is but have never beaten India in ODIs, losing all 11 encounters.

The gap between the teams remains significant, as true rivalries are built on evenly matched contests where either side has a genuine chance of winning.

Also read: Not Pat Cummins!! Abhishek Sharma's father reveals who signed him up for SRH