Overview

• The opener begins at 3 pm IST at Barsapara/ACA Stadium, with Harmanpreet Kaur’s India meeting Chamari Athapaththu’s Sri Lanka.
• India’s 15-player squad is confirmed under Kaur with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, plus Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Renuka Singh.
• Hosts enter ranked No. 3 after series wins over England and a near 413 chase against Australia, though pace inexperience and recent injuries are noted concerns.
• The event features eight teams in a 28-match round robin across four Indian venues and Colombo, offers a record USD 13.88 million purse, and runs through November 2.
• Pakistan play all league fixtures in Colombo, including the India–Pakistan match on October 5, while Star Sports and JioHotstar carry broadcasts in India.