Rain denied Pakistan the chance of a first WODI win over England as their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 match was abandoned 13.2 overs short of a result.
England were rocked by Fatima Sana, whose four for 27 was a masterclass in in-swing bowling either side of a lengthy rain delay, as they posted 133 for nine from 31 overs.
Pakistan were positive in the beginning of their chase before the rain returned to bring an early end to the match in Colombo, with both sides taking a point each.
In-swing does for England
With rain clouds swirling, Pakistan chose to bowl but saw England make a fast start with three early boundaries before Diana Baig responded, bowling a stunned Tammy Beaumont for four.
More boundaries came from Heather Knight but the nip-backer that had done Beaumont in also dismissed her fellow opener Amy Jones for eight, Fatima this time doing the damage to leave England 22 for two.
Former captain Knight and her replacement Nat Sciver-Brunt were in all sorts of trouble as they searched for a response to Fatima’s in-swinging deliveries.
Knight successfully overturned an LBW decision, but England were living dangerously, and it was only a matter of time before Pakistan’s captain removed her opposite number as Sciver-Brunt was bowled for four.
Knight followed three balls later having made 18 from 17 as the LBW was confirmed this time to leave England 39 for four from 6.4 overs.
Patience was needed, and it came temporarily from Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb before both were dismissed in consecutive Sadia Iqbal overs as England slipped to 57 for six.
England desperately needed someone to get in and stay in if they were to post any kind of competitive total, but having survived a dropped catch on eight, Alice Capsey was the third LBW dismissal of the innings as she went for 16 from 43 balls.
Charlie Dean and World Cup debutant Em Arlott had just steadily begun their partnership when rain set in with England at 79 for seven with 25 overs gone.
Just under four hours after the players went off, the match restarted with the game reduced to 31 overs per side.
Dean led the charge, making 33 from 51 before becoming Fatima’s fourth wicket of the innings as her side posted 133 for nine, adding 54 runs in six overs.
Rain denies Pakistan chase
Pakistan’s required total was revised to 113 from 31 overs and began brightly as Muneeba Ali hit a boundary from the third ball of the innings.
Muneeba and Omaima Sohail kept Pakistan ahead of the run rate until the rain set in with Pakistan at 34 without loss but crucially 13.2 overs short of the minimum of 20 for a result to stand.
Reflecting on her side’s performance, Fatima Sana said: “I think today is the day we can beat them, but it was not in our favour.
“They [her team] are very aware of the conditions, and we knew that this pitch was good for the pacers so it could be a good track for us.
“I tried to bowl a good length and at the stumps. It was good but it would have been better if we had won the match.”
Meanwhile, her opposite number Nat Sciver-Brunt was honest in her assessment of England’s performance.
She said: “I thought Pakistan bowled brilliantly, Fatima and Diana opened the bowling really well and made it really hard for us to get into the game at all.
“The rain break came, and I thought Charlie and Em Arlott came out and batted really well in that last six-over period and gave us a chance at getting up to a total.
“We weren’t very good today, we weren’t good enough and we’ll hold our hands up. Pakistan bowled brilliantly and the conditions had changed by the time we get the ball in our hands.”
England v Pakistan – R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka
England 133/9 in 31.0 overs (Charlie Dean 33, Heather Knight 18; Fatima Sana 4/27, Sadia Iqbal 2/16)
Pakistan 34/0 in 6.4 overs (Omaima Sohail 19 not out, Muneeba Ali 9 not out; Charlie Dean 0/0, Em Arlott 0/10)
Result: Match abandoned
