England’s seasoned opener Tammy Beaumont believes graft, discipline, and sharp execution will be the key as the unbeaten England side head into their third match of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 against co-hosts Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, on October 11 at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, from 3 PM IST.
England, under skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, have already pocketed wins over South Africa (by 10 wickets on October 3) and Bangladesh (by four wickets on October 7) in Guwahati, with Beaumont contributing 21* (35) and 13 (17) respectively, 34 runs across two innings so far.
However, Colombo’s spin-friendly pitch will be a different challenge altogether for the current No. 2 side on the points table (4 points from 2 games), as they face a Sri Lankan unit sitting seventh with just a solitary point, yet buoyed by home conditions and Athapaththu’s match-winning capabilities.
The 34-year-old Beaumont was candid in her pre-match press conference, stressing that familiarity with subcontinent conditions counts for more than technical changes mid-tournament. “Having an experience of playing in India and in Sri Lanka, you maybe know what to expect and know how to adapt your game slightly more,” she explained.
“The surfaces we’ve seen have required a bit of that, so for me, kind of being there and having done that is always helpful. The younger players have got to learn quickly, but a few of us are doing pretty well.”
Beaumont, one of England’s most experienced batters, indicated that spin discipline, often decisive at R Premadasa, will be central to their response against Sri Lanka’s bowling attack. “They obviously know their home conditions really well, and their bowling attack is very well disciplined. On spinning wickets, that makes life quite difficult for the opposition, so we certainly can’t take Sri Lanka lightly. Expecting a good game, but we’ve got to perform well.”
England’s previous match against Bangladesh underscored the importance of patience in tricky conditions. Heather Knight’s determined 79* off 111 helped them recover from a wobble, and Beaumont believes that same mindset is vital for Colombo.
“What we spoke about mainly from Heather’s innings was about how patient she was and how precise she was in the balls she went to score off,” Beaumont noted. “Sometimes you’ve got to put your ego to one side, really graft for the team, be gritty. The longer you bat, the easier it gets. That’s when runs start flowing, especially in the last 15 overs.”
She also credited lower middle-order batters Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean for clarity in their method against spin, while praising Bangladesh’s bowlers for holding their skills under pressure.
Athapaththu remains Sri Lanka’s talisman, scoring 43 (47) against India alongside her 3-0-24-1 bowling spell, but Beaumont cautioned against seeing her as the only threat.
“You can never write off Chamari, she’s played amazing innings against us before,” Beaumont said. “But you’ve also got Harshitha Samarawickrama doing really well, and there’s more depth now. We’ll be desperate to get Chamari out, but we’ve got plans for all their batters.”
With Sri Lanka boasting a left-hand heavy top order, England’s preparations have involved role-specific drills, even having players bat left-handed for Linsey Smith’s benefit in practice. Smith, England’s only left-handed batter and a left-arm spinner, has already taken five wickets in two matches and could be pivotal again.
“She’s very experienced from franchise cricket, knows her craft,” Beaumont said. “She had a tough summer against India but worked very hard to lift her game. Now, getting the new ball really suits her.”
Beaumont acknowledged that spin is acting as an equaliser in the tournament, pointing to India and Australia’s woes, 124 for 6 and 76 for 7 respectively, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. “When you have to earn your runs, you can’t always go to those big release shots. Conditions here bring all the teams closer together, and the depth in each side has improved. We’re going to see some upsets in this World Cup, but hopefully not involving us.”
As England look to maintain their unbeaten run, Beaumont’s focus on patience and precision may prove decisive. In Colombo’s slow-burn battles, survival and smart shot selection, not quick scoring, could be the difference between a win and a slip-up. And against a Sri Lanka side with Athapaththu in form and home advantage in play, England’s experience may be their best asset.
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