Rain Interrupts the Match
At R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, rain has been a recurring problem throughout the tournament. Wednesday’s game was no different. England were batting when intermittent showers disrupted the play. Ultimately, the ground became unplayable, and the umpires had to call off the match. Previously, two other games at this venue had also been affected by rain.
England’s Struggling Batting
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that proved to be perfect. England’s innings got off to a poor start as the top-order batters lost their wickets quickly. Fatima Sana bowled brilliantly, taking 4 key wickets for just 27 runs, dismissing Heather Knight, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Tammy Beaumont. Sadia Iqbal also chipped in with 2 wickets for 16 runs. England finished their 31 overs at 133/9, with Charlie Dean (33) and Emily Arlott (21) being the only batters to put up some resistance and guide the team to a respectable total.
England Women Key Performers (Point Table)
| Batter | Runs (R) | Balls (B) | How Out |
| Amy Jones † | 8 | 8 | b Fatima Sana |
| Tammy Beaumont | 4 | 4 | b Diana Baig |
| Heather Knight | 18 | 17 | lbw b Fatima Sana |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt (c) | 4 | 10 | b Fatima Sana |
| Sophia Dunkley | 11 | 21 | lbw b Sadia Iqbal |
| Emma Lamb | 4 | 5 | b Sadia Iqbal |
| Alice Capsey | 16 | 43 | lbw b Rameen Shamim |
| Charlie Dean | 33 | 51 | c Omaima Sohail b Fatima Sana |
| Emily Arlott | 18 | 23 | run out (Sidra Nawaz) |
| Sarah Glenn | 3 | 3 | not out |
| Linsey Smith | 4 | 2 | not out |
Extras: 10 | Total: 133/9 (31.0 overs)
Pakistan’s Winning Hopes Dashed by Rain
Chasing the target, Pakistan got off to a strong start. Openers Muneeba Ali and Omaima Sohail showed composure, putting their team in a promising position. Pakistan reached 34/0 in just 6.4 overs, but the weather intervened. Persistent rain forced the umpires to call off the match, resulting in a No Result. Had the rain not interrupted, Pakistan was in a strong position to challenge England.
Pakistan Women Key Performers (Point Table)
- Fatima Sana (Pakistan): 4 wickets for 27 runs, dismantled England’s top order.
- Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan): 2 wickets for 16 runs, instrumental in restricting England’s middle order.
- Charlie Dean (England): 33-run innings kept England’s score competitive.
- Emily Arlott (England): 21 runs contributed to a respectable total.
Points Table Update: Pakistan Still Struggling
| Position | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NR | Points | Net Run Rate |
| 1 | England | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +1.864 |
| 2 | Australia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +1.353 |
| 3 | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | +0.974 |
| 4 | India | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | +0.682 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -0.245 |
| 6 | Bangladesh | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -0.531 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -0.782 |
| 8 | Pakistan | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -1.067 |
- Pakistan earned their first point of the tournament due to the rain-affected match.
- England and Australia are leading the table, while Pakistan remains at the bottom (8th position).
Final Words: Rain Spoils Pakistan’s Winning Hopes
Pakistan put up a promising performance with openers Muneeba Ali and Omaima Sohail giving the team a solid start and Fatima Sana dismantling England’s top order. However, rain intervened just when the match was getting exciting, resulting in a No Result. Pakistan will need to show consistency in their upcoming matches to climb the points table and strengthen their position in the tournament.
