Pakistan’s bid for a first victory at the Women’s World Cup suffered another blow on Wednesday as rain forced the abandonment of their must-win match against England at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The Green Shirts, chasing a revised target of 113 after earlier showers reduced the game to 31 overs per side, were 34 without loss in 6.4 overs when heavy rain returned, ending all hopes of a result.
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It was a frustrating outcome for Pakistan, who had dominated much of the match before the weather intervened. Skipper Fatima Sana led from the front with a sensational bowling performance, taking 4 for 27 and dismantling England’s top order. Her spell was the highlight of the first innings, where England struggled to 133 for 9 after being asked to bat first.
The match began positively for Pakistan after Diana Baig provided an early breakthrough in the second over, dismissing Tammy Beaumont with a delivery that jagged back sharply to hit the off stump. It was a perfect redemption for Baig, who had overstepped earlier in the over. Fatima Sana then took over, sending Amy Jones back with a beautiful in-swinger that shattered the middle stump. She continued her onslaught by removing England’s captain Nat Sciver-Brunt in similar fashion and then added Heather Knight’s wicket in the same over, leaving England reeling at 39 for 4 in the seventh over.
England’s troubles deepened as they lost half their side for just 54 runs by the end of the powerplay. Alice Capsey offered some resistance but was dropped on 16 by Muneeba Ali at square leg off Rameen Shamim’s bowling. However, Rameen got her revenge five overs later when Capsey was trapped lbw attempting a sweep, with ball-tracking confirming it would have hit the leg stump.
At 79 for 7, England were staring down the barrel when rain first halted play midway through their innings. When the match resumed hours later, their innings was cut to 31 overs, allowing them just enough time to cross the 100-run mark before Fatima returned to dismiss Charlie Dean. Despite a few late boundaries, England managed only 133 for 9 — a target that seemed well within Pakistan’s reach before the weather spoiled the chase.
Pakistan began their innings confidently, with Muneeba Ali driving beautifully through point for a boundary in the very first over. Omaima Sohail, returning to the side, also played fluently, striking a few crisp shots through the covers. The openers looked steady at 34 without loss when the rain returned, this time for good, forcing the umpires to call off the match.
The team observed a minute’s silence before the game in memory of squad member Shawaal Zulfiqar’s father, who passed away on Monday. Despite the emotional circumstances, Pakistan’s players showed great spirit and composure on the field.
Pakistan had made two key changes for the match, with Aliya Riaz and Omaima Sohail rejoining the lineup. Captain Fatima Sana, speaking at the toss, said, “The pitch looked like it would assist spin, and we wanted to take advantage. The key for us was to build partnerships and finish games strongly.”
After three consecutive defeats earlier in the tournament, this match was crucial for Pakistan’s semi-final hopes. A win against a top side like England could have revived their campaign, but the rain ensured that both teams shared the points. All-rounder Syeda Aroob Shah had earlier stated that the team was eager to “perform better with the bat” against England — a goal that remains unfulfilled due to the weather.
The no-result leaves Pakistan still searching for their first win in the tournament. With their knockout hopes hanging by a thread, Fatima Sana’s side will now need to regroup quickly and look ahead to their next challenge, hoping that fortune — and the weather — finally favor them in the remaining matches.
