England escape shock defeat as rain saves the day in Colombo
The Women’s World Cup 2025 produced another dramatic moment in Colombo when heavy rain interrupted England’s bid to secure what could have been a chastening loss to Pakistan. Chasing a modest target after England’s innings unravelled in the opening powerplay, Pakistan appeared poised to deliver a historic victory. Instead, persistent showers and a subsequent revised target left the result hanging in the balance until the weather finally relented and play resumed.
Pakistan’s bowling blitz unsettles England
Put into bat, England found themselves toppled to 79-7 inside 25 overs as Pakistan’s bowlers exploited conditions with accuracy and variety. The early onslaught produced another familiar wobble for Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side, who have struggled to find consistency with the bat in this tournament. Tammy Beaumont fell early to a superb back-spinner from Diana Baig, while pace and seam movement stifled England’s openers, setting the tone for a tense innings.
England were eventually bowled out for 133, with Charlie Dean’s enterprising 33 and Em Arlott’s resilience providing a glimmer of hope amid the carnage. The 47-run partnership between Dean and Arlott gave England a platform to attack during the latter stages, but Pakistan’s bowlers had already left a question mark over England’s long-form reliability.
Pakistan start confidently but rain reshapes the chase
Pakistan, chasing 113 under revised conditions, began with composure, reaching 34 without loss before the heavens opened again. The weather shift ended any immediate thoughts of a historic triumph over England, who would have faced a coveted scalp against a side that has never beaten England in ODI cricket, at least in this format for a long while. The rain’s return created a two-hour pause, and when play recommenced, Pakistan’s target had been adjusted to a shorter, more defendable number.
England’s two most experienced stars fall; readiness tested
England’s veteran leadership, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight, were stretched by a Pakistan attack that varied pace and spin. Knight fell to lbw, while Sciver-Brunt was dismissed by a sharp delivery from Fatima Sana, a result that left England teetering at 79-7. The loss of the two senior players highlighted a daytime mismatch in experience and runs, with the supporting cast needing to step up in the absence of a couple of England’s most trusted performers.
Resilience in the face of disruption
Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey showed patience as they battled through a pocket of tight incentive bowling from Pakistan’s spinners, enduring 70 balls for a 21-run stand before Capsey was dismissed for lbw. Capsey’s departure punctuated a shift in momentum, yet Dean and Arlott steadied the ship with purposeful hits and careful running between the wickets. When the rain halted play again, England remained alive in the contest, a reminder that in cricket, momentum is a fragile companion that can be whipped away by the weather as easily as by a quickfire spell.
What this means for England going forward
England now head to Indore to face India and Australia in a pair of challenging fixtures, before concluding the group stage against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam. The fixtures are likely to test England’s depth and adaptability on different surfaces, with pitches expected to play flatter at both venues. The side will hope that Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell, sidelined by illness for the Colombo match, recover swiftly to bolster the bowling attack.
Colombo’s weather spared England a disastrous misstep, but the defeatist undertone of their performance—especially with the bat—will be a talking point. The team will need to convert starts into bigger scores and sharpen fielding and bowling discipline to avoid similar scares in what promises to be a relentless World Cup calendar.
Takeaways and next steps
With every World Cup game carrying high stakes, this result underscored England’s vulnerability when early wickets fall and when the match doesn’t flow as planned. The edge-of-seat finish offered a microcosm of the tournament: unpredictable, weather-affected, and filled with learning opportunities for a squad determined to defend their title. For Pakistan, the performance, though ultimately unfulfilled, demonstrated a willingness to challenge the top sides and build on the momentum of their improving ODI game.
As the tournament presses on, both sides will have little choice but to adapt quickly, exploit opportunities, and learn from the rain-soaked drama that kept Colombo gripped in the Women’s World Cup 2025.
