England Women will face Pakistan Women in the 16th match of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 in Colombo. Led by Nat Sciver-Brunt, England have enjoyed a flawless campaign so far, dominating the competition with convincing wins in all three of their matches.
They began with a 10-wicket demolition of South Africa, followed by an 89-run victory against Sri Lanka. Their only challenging match came against Bangladesh, but skipper Heather Knight guided the side to a composed four-wicket win while chasing a modest 179. With three straight wins, England sit comfortably near the top of the points table and are closing in on a semi-final spot.
Pakistan Struggle to Find Form
In stark contrast, Pakistan Women have had a disappointing start to their campaign. Fatima Sana’s team has lost all three of their matches so far and sits at the bottom of the standings.
Their tournament began with a seven-wicket defeat to Bangladesh. Things worsened with heavy losses against India and Australia, by 88 and 107 runs, respectively. Pakistan’s overall World Cup record also highlights their struggles — they have won only three matches in their entire ODI World Cup history.
Their batting remains their biggest weakness. In three games, Pakistan’s totals have been 129, 159, and 114 — far below par in modern ODI cricket. Sidra Amin has been the lone bright spot, scoring two half-centuries, but the rest of the lineup has failed to build partnerships or accelerate at key stages.
Even though Pakistan have played all their matches at the same venue in Colombo, they haven’t been able to use that familiarity to their advantage.
England’s Bowling a Major Threat
England’s bowling attack has been among the most consistent in the tournament. World No. 1 ODI bowler Sophie Ecclestone produced one of the standout spells of the World Cup in the match against Sri Lanka, helping her team secure an easy win.
Her spin partners, Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean, have also been effective, each claiming six wickets so far. With such depth and variety, England are well-equipped to exploit Pakistan’s fragile batting order and push for another dominant performance.
Head-to-Head Record
The history between the two sides makes England overwhelming favorites. England have never lost an ODI against Pakistan, winning 13 matches while two games ended with no result. In the 50-over World Cup, England have a perfect 4-0 record over Pakistan.
What to Expect
England enter this contest as overwhelming favorites, given their dominant form and Pakistan’s continued struggles with the bat. For Pakistan, this match is more about regaining confidence and salvaging something from their campaign.
England, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their winning momentum and move one step closer to securing a semi-final berth.
Pitch Report
The surface at the R. Premadasa Stadium has favored teams batting first in this tournament. Captains winning the toss are likely to choose to bat and put runs on the board, especially considering how spin bowlers tend to dominate the middle overs.
Slow conditions are expected, meaning timing the ball could be difficult, but patient batting can still yield good scores.
Weather Forecast
Colombo’s weather on Wednesday, October 15, is expected to be cloudy with intermittent light rain throughout the day. Meteorologists have predicted a 45% chance of rain during the daytime and around 40% at night.
October marks the inter-monsoon season in Sri Lanka, so short rain interruptions are common. In fact, the previous match at this venue — between Sri Lanka and New Zealand — was washed out due to rain.
Predicted Playing XI's
England Women: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
Pakistan Women: Sadas Shamas, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Natalia Pervaiz, Eyman Fatima, Fatima Sana (c), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal.