Nat Sciver-Brunt produced a captain’s knock of the highest order as her record-breaking fifth ICC Women’s World Cup hundred was the catalyst for England’s 89-run win over Sri Lanka.
The 33-year-old, who was dropped on three, brilliantly combined boundary hitting with rotating the strike in Colombo on the way to a run-a-ball 117 which was also her 10th career ODI century.
Having posted 253 for nine with the bat, England maintained their 100% record at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 and took top spot in the group stage table after their bowlers, led by Sophie Ecclestone’s brilliant four for 17, restricted their opponents playing in their home country to 164 all out inside 46 overs.
Sciver-Brunt shines after being handed early life
England’s innings began in eventful fashion as Tammy Beaumont successfully reviewed the decision to give her out LBW when on one in the second over, before Amy Jones was run out after getting caught on her heels when being called through for a single in the fourth.
Beaumont continued in aggressive fashion but had to go for a 29-ball 32 after mistiming Sugandika Kumari to leave England 49 for one.
A 60-run partnership followed between Heather Knight and captain Sciver-Brunt, but Sri Lanka found the breakthrough in the 22nd over when Knight was given out on review gloving Inoka Ranaweera (3/33) to slip for 29.
Sciver-Brunt was handed a life on three by Udeshika Prabodhani at mid-wicket and looked imperious thereafter, scoring all around the ground to bring up her fifty from 57 balls.
Despite scoring relatively freely, England continued to lose wickets as 146 for three became 168 for six, starting when Sophia Dunkley was caught and bowled by Kavisha Dilhari for a boundaryless 18.
That was followed by a superb double-wicket maiden from Ranaweera, who bowled Emma Lamb round her legs for 13 before having Alice Capsey stumped for a duck courtesy of excellent glovework from Anushka Sanjeewani.
Sciver-Brunt and Charlie Dean crafted a useful 38-run partnership to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but the latter went for 19 when she flicked Prabodhani to Dewmi Vihanga stood at 45 degrees.
Ecclestone was stumped for three to leave England 216 for eight with four overs to go.
But despite the falling of wickets, Sciver-Brunt brought up her ton with an exquisite inside out lofted drive over extra cover.
Sciver-Brunt was eventually out caught on the boundary for 117, which included nine fours and two sixes, but her late flurry of boundaries propelled England to a competitive total.
Ecclestone magnificent with ball in hand
Sri Lanka’s response began steadily, reaching 17 without loss after five overs, but a suspected hamstring injury for Chamari Athapaththu meant the captain retired hurt – being carried off on a stretcher – for seven.
England claimed their first wicket at the beginning of the ninth as Dean produced a wicked spinning delivery that bowled Vishmi Gunaratne through the gate for 10.
Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama fought back, putting on 58 for the fourth wicket as a series of quickfire boundaries kept the game in the balance at the 20-over mark.
However, Ecclestone scythed through the Sri Lankan top order, taking four wickets to put England in control.
Perera was the first of the 26-year-old’s scalps as, when on 35, she tried to slog the No. 1-ranked ODI bowler but only succeeded in finding Capsey at mid-on.
Samarawickrama was then sent back to the pavilion for 33 when she top-edged to Lauren Bell at short fine and Dilhari was also given her cue to leave when Ecclestone knocked back her off-stump attempting a big sweep.
The returning Athapaththu could only add a further eight runs to her score before Ecclestone bowled her with a ball that beat both bat and pad to clatter the stumps.
England pressed home from that point on as Sciver-Brunt (2/25), Capsey (1/15) and Dean (2/47) accounted for the lower order to leave Sri Lanka 157 for nine before Linsey Smith (1/22) wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Prabodhani.
England v Sri Lanka – R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka
England 253/9 in 50.0 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 117, Tammy Beaumont 32; Inoka Ranaweera 3/33, Udeshika Prabodhani 2/55)
Sri Lanka 164 all out in 45.4 overs (Hasini Perera 35, Harshitha Samarawickrama 33; Sophie Ecclestone 4/17, Nat Sciver-Brunt)
Result: England won by 89 runs.
With thanks to the ICC
