ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2025
England spinners are expected to pose a big challenge to the Sri Lankans © Getty
England will look to maintain their winning momentum when they take on Sri Lanka in their third match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. England come into this contest riding high after two contrasting wins, while Sri Lanka are yet to register a victory so far in this competition.
The four-time champions have shown both their ruthless side and their ability to grind out results when pushed. Their demolition job against South Africa set the tone for their campaign. Linsey Smith ran riot with figures of 3/7 as the Proteas were skittled for just 69, and then Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones made light work of the chase. However, Bangladesh tested their mettle in the next outing. Chasing 179, England slipped to 103/6 before Heather Knight’s unbeaten 79 took them over the line.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are yet to fire. In their opening game, they saw India post 269 after reducing them to 124/6. Though Inoka Ranaweera’s four-for kept things respectable, the Lankans struggled in the chase, with only Chamari Athapaththu and Nilakshi de Silva showing some fight, before going down by 59 runs (DLS). Their second fixture against Australia was a complete washout, earning them a point but offering no answers about their form.
The contest will hinge on how Sri Lanka’s brittle batting stands up to England’s powerful bowling unit. Smith’s nous, combined with Sophie Ecclestone’s relentless accuracy, presents a stern examination. For Sri Lanka, Ranaweera’s bowling against India showed they have quality, and captain Athapaththu provides firepower. But they’ll need more than individual brilliance to upset an England side hitting their straps.
When: Match 12 – Saturday, October 11 at 3:00 PM Local Time
Where: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
What to expect: In the three matches played here so far, teams batting first have won twice, with India’s 247 against Pakistan the highest total at this venue in the tournament. Seamers have played a key role here in wins for India, Bangladesh and Australia – all against Pakistan – which could offer food for thought. However, with conditions expected to aid spin as well, the tweakers from both sides are likely to be the mainstays in this contest.
Head to head: England have dominated this rivalry, winning 17 of the 20 encounters against Sri Lanka, with only one defeat and two no-results. They are currently on a 10-match winning streak against Sri Lanka in ODIs, while Sri Lanka’s only victory came in the 2013 World Cup. At home, Sri Lanka have lost 10 matches against England, with one no-result.
Team news:
Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka’s last competitive outing was the tournament opener on September 30, making it a 10-day gap since they last took the field. The washout against Australia, followed by a six-day break will test their match sharpness and rhythm. With limited opportunity to assess their form, they’re likely to stick with the same combination that faced India.
Probable XI: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera
England: Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side arrive in Colombo having played their first two matches in Guwahati. The shift in venue might present a fresh challenge, though their settled XI – unchanged across both wins – is unlikely to be tinkered with.
Probable XI: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlotte Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
Did you know?
– Chamari Athapaththu needs 80 more runs to reach the milestone of 4000 in ODIs. She will be the first Sri Lankan woman and overall the 20th player to reach the milestone.
– England Women have been the best batting side against spin among all the teams in this tournament. They lost only four wickets to spin and have an average of 42.25.
What they said:
“It certainly seems like a lot of runs are being scored in the last 15 overs in a lot of games and actually sometimes you’ve just got to try to make it to that point as a batter” – Tammy Beaumont.
© Cricbuzz
