Snake halts India’s practice ahead of high-stakes Women’s World Cup clash vs Pakistan

A snake briefly stopped India’s training session at the R. Premadasa Stadium ahead of their Women’s World Cup 2025 clash with Pakistan.

Indian women's team. (Image | icc-cricket.com)

Team India’s preparation for their much-anticipated Women’s World Cup 2025 clash against Pakistan took an unusual turn when a snake was spotted inside the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The Indian players were transitioning from the centre wicket to the nets when the reptile appeared near the stands, briefly halting training.

Fortunately, the situation did not escalate. Officials quickly confirmed that the snake was a Garandiya, a common rat snake found in Sri Lanka, non-venomous and largely harmless. Described as “just looking for rats,” the reptile’s appearance brought laughter rather than fear among those present.

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

This was not the first time the iconic Premadasa ground has hosted such incidents. Similar interruptions have occurred in past tournaments, including the Lanka Premier League and international matches, reminding players that nature occasionally finds its way into cricket.

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Focus back to the big match between India vs Pakistan

After the light-hearted pause, India resumed training with full intensity, aware of the magnitude of their next fixture. India and Pakistan share one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries, and every meeting between the two sides in a World Cup draws massive attention.

The Indian women come into the contest on the back of a convincing win over Sri Lanka in their opener, where Deepti Sharma’s all-round brilliance and key middle-order contributions sealed victory. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has stressed that momentum is crucial, but she also underlined the importance of not underestimating Pakistan.

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For Pakistan, this clash presents an opportunity to make a statement in the tournament, while India will look to assert dominance early in the group stage. Beyond the runs and wickets, the match carries emotional weight for fans on both sides of the border.

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