England Overpower Sri Lanka by 89 Runs in Colombo Cruise
In a match that affirmed their status as semi-final frontrunners, England Women cruised to an 89-run victory over Sri Lanka Women in Match 12 of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on October 11. Batting first on a spin-friendly surface, England posted a competitive 253 for 9, anchored by Sophia Dunkley’s patient 65 and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s brisk 52, before their bowlers—spearheaded by Lauren Bell’s 4 for 35—dismantled Sri Lanka for 164 in 45.4 overs. This comprehensive triumph extended England’s unbeaten streak to four matches, their net run rate surging to +1.234, while Sri Lanka, chasing a morale-boosting win at home, suffered a second straight defeat, their NRR plummeting to -0.789 and title aspirations hanging by a thread.
The afternoon fixture, under a canopy of Colombo’s swaying palms, drew a vocal crowd of 18,000, many donning maroon in hope of an upset against the European powerhouses. Yet, the pitch—dry and cracked, offering sharp turn from the outset—played into England’s spinners’ hands, turning what could have been a low-scorer into a one-sided affair. Stand-in captain Nat Sciver-Brunt’s decision-making, blending aggression with control, echoed Heather Knight’s tactical nous, while Sri Lanka’s capitulation exposed familiar frailties against quality pace and guile. As the Proteas and Aussies loomed large in the standings, England’s clinical outing sent a clear message: they’re here to defend the crown with authority. For Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu, the loss was a gut-check, her side’s bowlers leaking runs and batters folding under pressure ahead of a must-win against South Africa.
Sciver-Brunt’s toss win set the tone, opting to bat first to set a platform on a deck expected to deteriorate. England’s XI was a well-oiled unit: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Dunkley, Sciver-Brunt (c), Knight, Alice Capsey, Emma Lamb, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, and Linsey Smith. The inclusion of Lamb over the explosive Danni Wyatt prioritized solidity against spin, while Bell’s express pace was the wildcard. Sri Lanka, seeking redemption after their opener drubbing, fielded: Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera (wk), Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Kawya Kavindi, and Achini Kulasuriya. Athapaththu’s all-round prowess was key, with Kumari’s left-arm orthodoxy tasked to exploit the rough.
Umpires Richard Kettleborough and Jacqueline Williams called play amid the humid haze, the Premadasa outfield a lush green contrasting the parched strip. Openers Beaumont and Jones faced Prabodhani’s seam, England’s intent clear from the first over.
England’s innings unfolded with calculated poise, navigating the early spin threat before unleashing in the middle. Beaumont, the veteran opener, started watchfully, nudging Prabodhani through the covers for a single, but soon found rhythm: she lofted Kavindi over mid-on for four, her follow-through silky. Jones, aggressive at the other end, pulled Kulasuriya for six over square leg in the fifth over, the ball sailing into the stands amid cheers. The powerplay amassed 48 for no loss, boundaries punctuated by sharp running—Beaumont’s dabbed two off Ranasinghe a highlight. Yet, spin intervened: Kumari, introduced in the eighth, drifted one into Jones’ pads, trapping her lbw for 22 off 28—the review confirming three reds.
Dunkley joined Beaumont, and the duo rebuilt masterfully against Sri Lanka’s web. Dunkley’s defense was watertight, her forward press against Athapaththu’s off-breaks impeccable, while Beaumont swept Kumari fine for four. Their 72-run second-wicket stand off 92 balls pushed to 120 for 1 by the 25th over, Beaumont reaching fifty off 68 balls with a flicked boundary off Prabodhani—her third of the tournament. Drinks brought a shift: Athapaththu’s arm ball bowled Beaumont for 58 off 75, the ball skidding low to clip off stump.
Sciver-Brunt’s arrival signaled acceleration. The stand-in skipper, eyes on the semi-final math, targeted the part-timers: she drove Ranasinghe straight for four, then lofted de Silva over cover for six. Partnering Dunkley, they added 78 in 68 balls for the third wicket, Dunkley’s fifty off 72 deliveries marked by a reverse sweep off Kumari that bisected the fielders. At 198 for 2 after 35 overs, England eyed 280, but Sri Lanka clawed back. Prabodhani’s slower ball deceived Dunkley—caught at deep midwicket by Athapaththu for 65 off 85—then Knight, promoted for quick runs, edged Kulasuriya to slip for 12 off 14.
Capsey’s counterattack lit up: she slog-swept Kumari for six, racing to 28 off 22 with three fours, but holed out to long-on off Athapaththu in the 42nd. Lamb scratched 5 before skying Prabodhani to cover, 232 for 5 in 43 overs. Dean and Sciver-Brunt rallied: Dean’s swept four off Ranasinghe, Sciver-Brunt’s pulled six off Kavindi pushing to 250. Sciver-Brunt’s fifty off 54 balls ended with a miscued pull off Kulasuriya—caught at square leg for 52—while Ecclestone (8 off 10) and Smith (0 off 1) fell in the death. Bell (3*) and Dean (15* off 12) eked out nine more, England closing at 253 for 9. Sri Lanka’s bowlers toiled—Kumari 3-48, Athapaththu 2-52—but leaked 5.06 per over; Sciver-Brunt later noted, “Sophia’s glue held us; the total was above par here.”
Sri Lanka’s chase began with promise but unraveled into familiar disarray, their top order succumbing to England’s seam-spin cocktail. Gunaratne and Perera opened tentatively against Bell’s bounce: Gunaratne flicked Dean fine for four, but Perera edged Smith’s left-arm darts to Jones for 4 off 10 in the fourth over. At 12 for 1, Gunaratne and Athapaththu rebuilt, the skipper’s classy drive off Ecclestone through covers yielding four. Their 45-run stand off 58 balls offered hope, Athapaththu’s sweeps against Dean—two boundaries in an over—pushing to 57 for 1 at drinks.
Bell’s return shattered illusions. The tall quick, with her skiddy pace, bowled Gunaratne with an inswinger that tailed in—8 off 22, middle stump uprooted. Samarawickrama joined Athapaththu, but England’s spinners choked: Ecclestone’s arm ball trapped Samarawickrama lbw for 3 off 12, the ball spinning back in. At 68 for 3 after 20 overs, needing 186 off 180, Sri Lanka teetered. Athapaththu’s aggression kept afloat: she lofted Capsey over extra cover for six, reaching 35 off 42, but Bell struck again—edging a lifter to Dunkley at slip for 35, her exit a body blow.
De Silva and Ranasinghe resisted briefly: de Silva swept Smith for four, Ranasinghe nurgling singles. Their 32-run stand off 42 balls crawled to 100 for 4 by the 30th, but Dean’s off-spin broke through—bowling Ranasinghe with a doosra for 12 off 28. Ranaweera scratched 2 before chipping Ecclestone to midwicket, 112 for 6 in 33 overs. Kumari and de Silva fought: Kumari’s reverse sweep off Dean for four, de Silva’s driven six off Smith. But Bell’s third strike—clean bowling de Silva for 28 off 45 with a yorker—left 124 for 7 in 36th.
The lower order folded meekly. Prabodhani (9 off 18) edged Smith to slip, Kumari’s gritty 22 off 35 ending with a stumped dismissal off Ecclestone—146 for 9 in 42nd. Kulasuriya (4) blocked out, but Bell sealed with her fourth—bowled through the gate in the 45.4th. Sri Lanka all out for 164, England’s bowlers rampant: Bell’s 4-35 a career-best, Ecclestone 2-29, Smith 2-32. Fielding sharp—three run-outs threatened—England’s control unyielding; Athapaththu rued, “We started well, but lost wickets in heaps.”
Post-match, Sciver-Brunt glowed: “Lauren’s fire up top set the tone; our spinners owned the middle.” Dunkley added, “Pleased with 65 on a turner; team effort.” For Sri Lanka, Samarawickrama’s 3 reflected broader struggles, their chase run rate a dismal 3.61. Kumari’s 3-48 offered solace, but the attack’s 5.06 economy exposed gaps.
Standings shifted decisively. England’s romp cements second place, behind Australia’s juggernaut, their bowling depth—Bell’s emergence alongside Ecclestone’s wizardry—a semi-final blueprint. Dunkley’s consistency (averaging 62) bolsters the middle, Knight’s return looming large. South Africa eyes next, but England’s momentum is seismic.
Sri Lanka, hosts in name only, confront crisis: two losses, batting average 22, NRR in freefall. Athapaththu’s 35 a flicker, but top-order frailty bites—Gunaratne’s 8 evoking openers’ woes. South Africa awaits: win or wilt, their home edge blunted by inexperience. As Colombo’s evening cooled, England’s blues faded into twilight, Sri Lanka’s maroon a shade dimmer.
This wasn’t mere victory; it was a seminar in execution—England’s blend of grit and guile overwhelming a spirited but outmatched foe. The World Cup, with its twists, finds England striding tall, Sri Lanka schooled but schooled to evolve.
