A record 22,843 fans were treated to a seesaw affair before India eventually beat Sri Lanka by 58 runs.
While the final result was a comfortable victory for the home side, they needed a century stand for the seventh wicket from Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma to rescue a perilous situation with the bat.
Sharma then played a starring role with the ball, taking three for 54, as Sri Lanka fell short of the 270 runs they needed in 47 overs after the game was shortened due to a couple of rain delays.
India had made a promising start, reaching 81 for two in the 20th over, when Inoka Ranaweera’s four for 46 appeared to get the Sri Lankans on top.
Kaur and Sharma batted positively to rebuild, Kaur taking a few chances on her way to a brilliant 57. She was helped by some fielding errors, dropped three times on her way to a half-century on her World Cup debut.
Eventually, Vishmi Gunaratne held on to arguably the toughest chance of the lot, a brilliant grab near the boundary off Udeshika Prabodhani ending the partnership at 103.
A second rain delay had reduced the innings to 47 overs and Sneh Rana made a valuable contribution down the order.
She hit a pair of sixes on her way to an unbeaten 28 off just 15 balls, while Sharma completed her half-century, departing for 53 off the final ball of the innings as India finished on a respectable 269 for eight.
Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu looked dangerous as she led the reply, smashing four fours and three sixes before being beaten by a full delivery from Sharma for 43.
Nilakshika Silva added 35 but the Sri Lankan innings ended for 211 in the 46th over.
The White Ferns were playing Australia overnight. — ICC/Allied Media
