Rain halted the thrilling Pakistan vs England Women’s World Cup match in Colombo, resulting in a washout. Pakistan fought hard with standout bowling from Fatima Sana, while England’s batting struggled despite lower-order resistance, leaving both teams to share points.
England and Pakistan shared a point each after a rain-affected game at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo during their Women’s World Cup clash. The match, set up for a possible upset, was halted due to heavy showers, leaving both teams unable to complete the game. Pakistan earned their first point from four matches, while England maintained their position atop the table, edging Australia on net run rate.
Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana delivered a devastating opening bowling spell, reducing England to 78 for 7, before the first rain break. Her pace and seam movement caused major problems for the English batters, highlighting England’s vulnerability. Despite the early collapse, lower-order batters Charlie Dean and Em Arlott steadied the innings, putting together a vital 47-run partnership that helped England reach 133 for 9 in 31 overs.
England’s batting struggles were compounded by the absence of key players Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell, who were sidelined due to illness. Their replacements, Sarah Glenn and Em Arlott, fought hard, but the top order failed to provide the solidity needed. Openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones were dismissed early, while captain Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s main performers this tournament, battled to keep the innings afloat. Sana’s relentless bowling dismantled the middle order, including the key wicket of Sciver-Brunt, who fell to a sharp delivery that nipped back in.
Chasing a revised target of 113 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, Pakistan began confidently, reaching 34 without loss before rain interrupted play again. Key batters Omaima Sohail and Muneeba Ali showed promise in their unbeaten stands before the match was ultimately called off.
Despite Pakistan’s continued struggles against England historically, their performance against a strong English side showed improvement and hinted at potential growth. For England, the rain-affected draw was a wake-up call, revealing lingering issues under pressure that could haunt them in the tournament’s latter stages. With matches ahead, both teams will look to build on this encounter as the World Cup progresses.
Women’s World Cup updated Points Table
| Team | Matches Played | Won | Lost | No-result | Points | NRR |
| England | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +1.864 |
| Australia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +1.353 |
| South Africa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | -0.618 |
| India | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | +0.682 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -0.245 |
| Bangladesh | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | -0.263 |
| Sri Lanka | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -1.526 |
| Pakistan | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -1.887 |