Colombo: Persistent rain and multiple interruptions in Colombo led to the abandonment of Pakistan’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 match against four-time champions England at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday. With both teams sharing points after only 37.4 overs of play were possible. Before the washout, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana produced a stunning spell of swing bowling, taking 4 for 27 to restrict England to 133 for 9 in a rain-curtailed 31-over-a-side contest. In reply, Pakistan managed 34 in 6.4 overs without losing wicket when rain again stopped play.
Earlier, Fatima produced a devastating opening spell to dismantle England’s top order at R. Premadasa Stadium.
Under the DLS Method, Pakistan set a revised target of 113 runs in 31 overs to register their first win of the tournament — and their first-ever against England in Women’s ODIs.
After the Pakistan captain won the toss and elected to field under overcast skies, Fatima made immediate use of the swing and seam movement on offer.
The right-arm seamer removed Amy Jones, Heather Knight, and Nat Sciver-Brunt in her first spell, after earlier seeing off the dangerous Tammy Beaumont, who was bowled by Diana Baig. England were left tottering at 39 for 4 after 6.4 overs, with Fatima’s incisive lengths and late movement proving too good for the English top order.
There was little respite thereafter. Emma Lamb and Sophia Dunkley briefly steadied England with a stand worth 15 runs for the fifth wicket, but Sadia Iqbal struck twice in quick succession — first bowling Lamb with a sharp arm ball before trapping Dunkley lbw a few overs later. England slid further to 79 for 7 after 25 overs, as Alice Capsey’s brief counterattack ended with her dismissal during an attempted big shot.
England managed 8 runs in the last over to close at 133 for 9, but their early collapse — nine wickets down before the rain delay — meant that, under the DLS adjustment, their effective resource depletion resulted in a revised target of 113 for Pakistan. Agencies
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