A thrilling Women’s World Cup encounter between England and Pakistan in Colombo was cut short by persistent rain, resulting in a draw and a shared point for both teams. Pakistan, having fought valiantly, secures their first point of the competition. England, despite facing a significant challenge from Pakistan’s bowling, retains their top spot on the updated points table, edging out Australia on net run rate. The match offered a glimpse of Pakistan’s potential and exposed some areas of concern for the English side.
In Colombo, heavy rain disrupted the match at the R Premadasa Stadium, forcing an abandonment. Pakistan’s star bowler, Fatima Sana, was instrumental early on, ripping through England’s batting lineup with an impressive spell that left them at 78 for 7. Her aggressive approach put the English batters under immense pressure. Despite this collapse, Charlie Dean and Em Arlott formed a crucial 47-run partnership, guiding England to 133 for 9 in 31 overs before the first downpour. This late resistance was vital in setting any sort of target.
The English team’s batting depth was tested further by the unfortunate unavailability of Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell due to illness. Their stand-ins, Sarah Glenn and Em Arlott, battled hard, but the top-order batting failed to deliver consistent support. Early wickets fell for openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones, and even established players like Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt found it challenging to build substantial partnerships. Sana’s relentless accuracy proved too much for the middle order, famously dismissing Sciver-Brunt with a well-executed inswinger. When Pakistan began their chase for a revised DLS target of 113, openers Omaima Sohail and Muneeba Ali looked comfortable, reaching 34 without loss before the rain returned, ultimately ending the game. This result is a positive step for Pakistan, showing improved performance against a strong opponent.