A thrilling Women’s ODI World Cup encounter between Pakistan and England at Colombo ended in palpable despair for the Women in Green, who were left close to making history only for rain to snatch a famous victory from them.
England, who were required to bat first, seemed utterly out of touch against a disciplined and clinical Pakistani bowling operation. With the pitch producing seam and spin movement, openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones were dismissed early for just 4 and 8 runs respectively, paving the way for a collapse, which Pakistan bowlers made full use of.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana was the star of the day, producing a spell that turned the game for her side. She tore through England’s top order, picking up the wickets of Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight. Sana concluded with record numbers of 4 wickets for just 27 runs in 6 overs.
She was well assisted by Sadia Iqbal (6-2-16-2), whose left-arm spin was instrumental in the middle overs, and by Nashra Sandhu’s stringy 7-over spell (2 maidens, 12 runs), which put constant pressure and never let England establish any rhythm.
England, who were once 78/7 after 24 overs, faced some resistance from Charlie Dean (33 from 51) and Emily Arlott (18 from 23), who put valuable lower order runs together. England was 79/7 in 25 overs when rain interrupted the match. England total, which only reached 133/9 in the shortened 31-over match.
Having kept England back, Pakistan’s pursuit started off with assurance and purpose. Openers Omaima Sohail and Muneeba Ali saw off the new ball threat, reaching 34 without loss in 6.4 overs. They batted well, applying pressure to England’s bowlers and rotating the strike easily.
At the DLS target of 113 off 31 overs, Pakistan were poised to chase down the score, requiring 79 more with all their wickets intact and plenty of overs remaining. The momentum was overwhelmingly with Pakistan, and a historic World Cup victory over England appeared to be on the cards.
Traditionally, it has been an imbalanced contest. Prior to this match, England had won 13 of their 15 ODIs against Pakistan and the other 2 matches had No results. In the last two World Cups, England’s domination was an overwhelming 107-run DLS victory in 2017 and a 9-wicket defeat in 2022.
The rain, though, came back in full force, washing not only the rest of the game but also the dream of a win for Pakistan. For the team it was a victory snatched away, considering the control and confidence on show. Pakistan’s bowlers had done all they could, their batters were settled, and when the thought of rewriting history beckoned, fate struck in the form of rains.
In spite of the washout and the share of points, the match was an important milestone for Pakistan women’s cricket. The confidence, tactical sense, and team unity they showed during the disrupted game sent a clear message, this is a team now capable of beating giants. England were left wondering about a shaken top order.
Ultimately, though the scoreboard was “No Result,” Pakistan can take heart from their display. The 2025 ODI World Cup could still witness them turn such opportunities into historic wins in subsequent matches.
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