Sri Lanka, Pakistan eye consolation win in Colombo

Till yesterday, Sri Lanka were still in the hunt for a semi-final berth at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. But India’s emphatic win over New Zealand not only knocked out the White Ferns — it also ended the island nation’s faint hopes of making the final four.

With four matches still to go in the league stage, the semi-final lineup is already sealed. Defending champions Australia, four-time winners England, two-time finalists India, and three-time semi-finalists South Africa have all booked their spots in the knockouts.

Co-hosting the Women’s World Cup for the first time, Sri Lanka would have hoped to script a fairytale run. Instead, they managed just one solitary win, with two matches washed out. Frustratingly, one of those abandoned games came when they were in complete control — having posted 258 against New Zealand — only for rain to dash their dreams of a first-ever win over the White Ferns.

Despite a disappointing campaign, there were silver linings. Hasini Perera and Nilakshika de Silva stood tall with the bat, easing the burden on skipper Chamari Athapaththu. Veteran bowlers Inoka Ranaweera, who became the oldest player to take a four-wicket haul in a World Cup, and Udeshika Prabodhani proved that age is just a number, showing remarkable grit and precision with the ball. But with both nearing the twilight of their careers, questions remain about Sri Lanka’s next generation.

If Sri Lanka endured heartbreak, Pakistan’s campaign was a complete washout — literally and figuratively. They failed to win a single match, and their only two points came from rain-affected games. Apart from the experienced batter Sidra Amin and captain Fatima Sana, who impressed with the ball, the rest of the side failed to rise to the occasion, resulting in a tournament to forget.

As the two Asian sides prepare to face off one last time in Colombo, pride is all that’s at stake. Which team will sign off on a high? The answer, weather permitting, awaits in the final act of their World Cup story.

Head-to-Head

Overall: Sri Lanka – 22, Pakistan – 11

At World Cups: Sri Lanka – 1, Pakistan – 1

ICC ODI Rankings: Sri Lanka – 6, Pakistan – 8

Match details

Date: October 24, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM
Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Live streaming: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar