Good afternoon and welcome to everyone joining us today. The ICC Women's World Cup heads into match 12, with Sri Lanka hosting England in a crucial encounter in Colombo. Stay with us for the build-up and live updates.
Good afternoon and welcome to everyone joining us today. The ICC Women's World Cup heads into match 12, with Sri Lanka hosting England in a crucial encounter in Colombo. Stay with us for the build-up and live updates.
England: Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Imesha Dulani, Dewmi Vihanga, Piumi Wathsala, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodani, Malki Madara, Achini Kulasuriya.
The match begins at 3pm IST, which is when the first ball will be bowled, and the toss is slated at 2:30pm, rain permitting. The Sri Lanka vs England, ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 match will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. It will be telecast on the Star Sports Network TV channels in the country.
The weather in Colombo is expected to remain cloudy today as there are high chances of rain during the day along with thunderstorms in the evening. The temperature will range from a high of 30 degree to a low of 26 degree.
Though there is no rain around at the Premadasa Stadium currently, the toss has been pushed back by 15 minutes, possibly due to a drizzle earlier. Toss timing is 2:45pm now.
Sri Lanka have won the toss and opted to field first against England.
Sri Lanka Women: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Dewmi Vihanga, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera
England Women: 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
Left-arm seamer Udeshika Prabodhani has the ball in hand and Amy Jones is on strike, with Tammy Beaumont alongside. Jones gets off the mark with a first-ball boundary, though it's off a genuine outside edge. Nine runs from the first over.
ENG-W: 9/0 (1)
An early breakthrough for Sri Lanka as Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones set off for a single that was never there, in the fourth over. Jones is caught well short at the striker's end with Kavisha Dilhari completing a good pick-up and throw. Heather Knight joins Beaumont in the middle.
Tammy Beaumont is dismissed by Sugandika Kumari after getting set. The off-spinner induces a false shot from the England opener, who ends up slashing a flighted delivery, only to get an outside edge and Harshitha Madavi completes the catch at backward point. Skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt now joins Heather Knight, with England two down.
Udeshika Prabhodhani drops Nat Sciver-Brunt at short mid-wicket off Inoka Ranaweera's bowling in the 14th over. The England captain could really make Sri Lanka pay for this, as she rebuilds the English innings alongside Knight.
The partnership between Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight is now worth 37 runs off 51 balls. The run rate is a shade under five an over for England, which is not bad at all, given the batting to come. Sri Lanka need to choke scoring or break this stand, if they are to hope for a chaseable target.
Sri Lanka get the breakthrough they needed! Heather Knight goes for a reverse-sweep off Inoka Ranaweera in the 22nd over and the ball loops up off the glove to slip. The original decision is not out but has to be overturned as the replays are conclusive. Sophia Dunkley joins Sciver-Brunt in the middle.
Nat Sciver-Brunt gets to a 26th ODI half-century off just 57 balls, studded with three fours and a six. The England captain has taken the attack to Sri Lanka in her efforts to keep up the tempo, even in the middle overs of the innings. Sophia Dunkley giving her good company.
Another important wicket for Sri Lanka! Kavisha Dilhari completes a low caught-and-bowled to send back Sophia Dunkley for a 30-ball 18, and England have to rebuild again. Emma Lamb joins Nat Sciver-Brunt at the crease and the hosts are trying to pile on the pressure with some quiet overs.
Two more wickets, and Sri Lanka now believe they can make a match of this. Inoka Ranaweera produces a superb performance, finishing with figures of 3/33 in 10 overs to almost single-handedly keep her team in the game. She dismissed Emma Lamb and Alice Capsey in the same over and Nat Sciver-Brunt now joined by Charlotte Dean.
Charlotte Dean is not able to force the pace, early on in her innings. Her strike rate is 50 after 30 balls, while her partner Nat Sciver-Brunt continues to power on for England. Sri Lanka would hope to keep the tourists under 235 or so, as any total beyond that could be tricky to chase.
The wickets continue to tumble for England. Charlotte Dean's attempted paddle scoop off Udeshika Prabodhani goes straight to Dewmi Vihanga at short fine leg, while Sophie Ecclestone is smartly stumped by the Sugandika Kumari-Anushka Sanjeewani combine. Sciver-Brunt still there, nearing a well-deserved hundred.
What a fabulous, pivotal knock this from Nat Sciver-Brunt! The England captain holds the innings together, getting to a record fifth Women's World Cup hundred in the process. She falls for a run-a-ball 117 off the penultimate ball of the innings, as the tourists get to substantial 253-run total. Sri Lanka would need to bat really well, if they are to chase this down.
ENG-W: 253/9 (50)
England appear confident, ready to take the field well before the Lankan innings actually begins. Lauren Bell has the ball in hand and Hasini Perera takes strike, with SL-W skipper Chamari Athapaththu alongside her. It's a tight over, with just one leg bye off it.
SL-W: 1/0 (1)
The Lankans are off to a circumspect but wicketless start, which might help them settle down a bit. Hasini Perera and Chamari Athapaththu have been watchful, trying to negotiate the England new-ball bowlers without damage. The asking rate is around 5.30 now, and if it gets to over six an over, that's when the pressure will mount on the hosts.
Sri Lanka are dealt a huge blow as their captain and star batter Chamari Athapaththu has to be stretchered off after what could be cramps at best and a hamstring injury at worst. She retires hurt for now, and the hosts would hope it's something minor that the skipper can overcome to bat again, later. Meanwhile, Charlie Dean comes in to bowl and dazzles straight away with a beauty to castle Vishmi Gunaratne. The off-spinner is getting turn and bounce and could be a handful in the innings to come.
There is news coming in that Chamari Athapaththu has suffered a calf injury, not a hamstring one, and that it could be down to cramps. This means the Lankan skipper could be back to bat at some point. Meanwhile, England's spinners are getting plenty of purchase from the Premadasa pitch, and Harshitha Samarawickrama (14 not out off 22), Hasini Perera (26 not out off 39) need to find a way around it.
Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera are growing in confidence now, and have built a 54-run partnership off just 59 balls. Both batters, especially Harshitha, are finding the gaps well now and are in their 30s. England starting to worry?
Sophie Ecclestone breaks the promising partnership between Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera. She first has Perera caught by Alice Capsey at mid on, then has Harshitha holing out to short fine leg. But there's good news for Sri Lanka as their skipper Chamari Athapaththu returns to bat, having overcome the cramps. However, Ecclestone cleans up new batter Kavisha Dilhari too, and the hosts are in all sorts of trouble.
Chamari Athapaththu has been cleaned up by Sophie Ecclestone with a beauty and that should effectively seal the game in England's favour. Half the Sri Lankan side is now in the pavillion and Ecclestone has figures of 6overs, 3 maidens, 5 runs and 4 wickets. As stunning as it gets.
Sri Lanka Women need 122 runs to win in 102 balls
The pressure keeps rising on Sri Lanka. Anushka Sanjeewani and Nilakashi de Silva are in the middle but the required run rate is getting out of hands. England spinners have been absolutely accurate so far.
Sophie Ecclestone finishes her 10-over spell and she is definitely in contention for the Player of the Match award for herself. 10 overs, 3 maidens, 17 runs and four wickets. She misses her five-wicket haul but has done enough for an England victory here.
Sri Lanka Women need 92 runs in 42 balls to win
The game is almost over and Sri Lanka are only aiming to cut down the margin of their loss here. England set for another victory in this World Cup.
England Women win by 89 runs
Three wins out of three for England and they go top of the table. Another dominating performance.
Nat Sciver Brunt is the Player of the Match for her 117 that helped England post a winning total.
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