Snake slithers in as India gear up for Pakistan clash in Colombo

A surprise visitor added a touch of drama to India women's training session on Friday evening at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium -- a snake.

As Harmanpreet Kaur's team shifted from the centre wicket to the nets, the greyish-brown reptile slithered along the drains and into the stands, catching the attention of players, support staff, and media alike. 

Far from sparking panic, the harmless rat snake -- locally known as Garandiya -- triggered laughter and amusement.

"It's not venomous. It doesn't bite. It's a Garandiya, just looking for rats," a ground official explained, noting that the stadium has become a familiar haunt for the species. 

The reptile has made previous cameos during Lanka Premier League fixtures and even turned up in a Sri Lanka-Bangladesh ODI earlier this year, giving the venue an odd reputation for its "slithering spectators."

For India, though, focus quickly returned to Sunday's marquee Women's World Cup clash against Pakistan.

The Women in Blue opened their campaign with a hard-fought win over co-hosts Sri Lanka in Guwahati, recovering from a collapse at 124-6 to post a fighting total, thanks to a gritty 103-run stand between Deepti Sharma (53) and Amanjot Kaur (57). Deepti then starred with the ball as India wrapped up victory in the rain-trimmed contest.

"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.

The attention now shifts to the much-anticipated India-Pakistan showdown-- a fixture that always carries weight, even in women's cricket. Yet, the rivalry has been a lopsided affair: Pakistan have never beaten India in ODIs and trail heavily in T20Is as well.

"India has never lost to Pakistan. It's not really a rivalry on the field," former chief selector Hemlata Kala pointed out, though she cautioned India to focus on securing a semi-final spot first.

Beyond the numbers, Sunday's game will unfold amid tense political undertones. Bilateral cricket remains frozen, and in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, traditional gestures like handshakes may again be skipped -- echoing the men's Asia Cup standoff last month.