Tag: Women’s World Cup 2025

COLOMBO: Pakistan off-spinner Rameen Shamim expressed confidence in her side ahead of their crucial encounter against South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.

Pakistan are winless in their World Cup campaign and are languishing at the bottom of the table with two points from five game. Their remaining fixtures are against South Africa– already qualified and hosts Sri Lanka.

The Women in Green have to win both of their matches and then have to wait for certain resuts going their way to advance through to the semis.

Their best chance to seal a memorable win against England came in the rain-abandoned encounter.

Pakistan had restricted England to133-9 in a match reduced to 31 overs side. In reply, Pakistan had their best start in World Cup as they scored 34 in 6.4 overs without losing wicket.

Yet, the weather in Colombo had the final say with match being washed out. However, the Green Shirts still have an outside chance to advance through to the semi-final.

Speaking in the pre-match presser, Rameen lamented on rain abandoned clash against England, hence halting their chances to claim vital points.

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“Yeah, obviously, rain is not in our control. We cannot control the weather. Yeah, unfortunately, we are upset because we were up to the mark against England,” she said.

However, the 29-year-old remained confident after putting England on the ropes in their previous encounter.

“But we are confident because we played some good cricket in the last two matches. And now we have to play against South Africa and Sri Lanka,” Rameen told reporters.

She emphasized home series which Pakistan had played against South Africa women before heading into the mega event and eyed victories in the remaining matches to end their campaign on good note.

“We are really prepared against them because we have played a series against South Africa before this World Cup. So, we know what to do in the next two matches, and our aim is just to win those two matches,” she said.

“We just want to win those upcoming matches and just leave our mark,” she concluded.

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COLOMBO: Nonkululeko Mlaba’s three-wicket haul, followed by gutsy half-centuries from Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, propelled South Africa to victory over Sri Lanka in the rain-hit 18th encounter of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.

Set 121 Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) adjusted target in 20 overs, South Africa hit the winning runs on the last ball of the 14th over without losing any wicket.

Skipper Laura Wolvaardt made 60 from 47 balls, striking eight fours, while Tazmin Brits’ 42-ball 55 featured two sixes and four boundaries.

The duo forged an unbeaten 125-run stand, powering the Proteas to their fourth successive win, moving them into the second spot with an inch closer to the semi-final.

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Earlier, after opting to bat first, Sri Lanka were 45-2 when the rain arrived. After the rain break, the Islanders could only manage to score 105-7 in 20 overs.

The hosts’ innings could not get going as they lost wickets at regular intervals,  with Vishmi Gunaratne remaining the top-scorer with 34 from 33 balls. She struck six fours in her knock.

For South Africa, Nonkululeko Mlaba scalped three wickets in her four overs while giving away 30. Masabata Klaas also bowled well, picking up two in her five overs.

The defeat was Sri Lanka’s third, slimming their chances of advancing into the semi-final. They now languish on the points table with their remaining two fixtures against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

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The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan has become the most-watched women’s cricket match of all time across digital platforms, the ICC confirmed on Thursday.

The October 5 encounter, one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament, recorded an extraordinary 28.4 million reach and 1.87 billion total minutes viewed, setting an unprecedented global benchmark for women’s sport viewership.

According to ICC data, the India-Pakistan showdown wasn’t an isolated spike, as the entire first half of the World Cup’s league stage has witnessed record-breaking engagement across both digital and broadcast mediums.

The opening 11 matches, featuring marquee teams like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and South Africa, collectively reached 72 million viewers, representing a 166% surge compared to the previous edition.

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Viewing minutes soared by an astonishing 327%, totaling 6.3 billion minutes.

Even the early phase of the competition surpassed expectations, with the first 13 matches amassing over 60 million viewers, five times more than in 2022, and an aggregate 7 billion minutes of watch time, a twelve-fold increase.

While stadium attendance has been mixed, with sellout crowds for games involving India and Sri Lanka and thinner turnouts for neutral fixtures, the surge in global engagement underscores the tournament’s growing impact and popularity.

Adding to the record spree, the India vs Australia league encounter on October 12 reached 4.8 million peak concurrent viewers, setting another all-time high for women’s cricket.

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COLOMBO: Pakistan were denied a shock victory over England when their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 match was washed out as Colombo continued to be drenched by unrelenting monsoon showers on Wednesday.

Pakistan, rooted to the bottom of the points table and still searching for their first win in the eight-nation tournament, were left cursing their luck after putting England through the wringer with a brilliant bowling display that restricted the four-time champions to 133-9 in a game reduced to 31 overs.

Chasing a revised target of 113, Pakistan’s openers looked in fine touch, coasting to 34-0 in 6.4 overs, before the heavens opened once more and the game was abandoned at 9:58 pm local time.

Pakistan’s bowlers had their tails up from the outset, with captain Fatima Sana leading from the front.

She swung the ball into the batters and picked up three early wickets before returning after the rain break to snare another, finishing with eye-catching figures of 4-27.

“We showed today that we can beat any team. Disappointed about the rain. We were really good with the ball and the bat, and we would have been happy with a win,” Sana said.

It was the wicked inswinger that undid England’s top order, as four wickets tumbled to seamers, leaving the defending champions in dire straits at 39-4.

Diana Baig drew first blood by rattling Tammy Beaumont’s stumps, while Sana bowled Amy Jones through the gate with a brute of a delivery before removing Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt in quick succession with deliveries that jagged back sharply.

The spinners then tightened the screws, mopping up the middle order to ensure the seamers’ hard work didn’t go to waste.

Play was initially halted with England teetering at 79-7 after 25 overs.

When play resumed, Charlie Dean and Em Arlott offered some resistance, adding 47 runs for the eighth wicket.

England’s tail added 54 runs in six overs to give their bowlers something to bowl at, but Pakistan were well ahead when the skies opened again.

England had never lost to Pakistan in 16 previous ODIs and it needed bad weather to preserve that record.

It was the third rain-affected game in Colombo this World Cup after Australia and Sri Lanka split points without a ball bowled and Sri Lanka’s fixture against New Zealand also ended in a washout on Monday.

“Pakistan were top today and they never let us come back into the game. We fought back in the end, but we were not good enough. It was seaming quite a lot and we didn’t adapt well,” England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said.

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VISHAKAPATNAM: Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp scored gutsy half-centuries before Nadine de Klerk stepped in late and calmly nudged South Africa over the line against Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.

Set a challenging 233 run target, South Africa hit the winning runs on the third ball of the last over, losing seven wickets in the process.

After losing Tazmin Brits for a golden duck in the second over, skipper Laura Wolvaardt batted with responsibility alongside Anneke Bosch, adding 56 runs for the second-wicket partnership.

South Africa were cruising at 58-1; however, Bangladesh made a roaring comeback on the last ball of the 14th over. The Tigers removed Wolvaardt, who made 31 from 56 balls with the help of five fours.

The wicket sparked a mini collapse and the Proteas slumped to 78-5 in 22.1 overs.

Following the collapse, Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp forged a strong 85-run stand, hence lifting the team out of trouble. The pair’s rescue act brought the team’s total to 163 in 40 overs.

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Tryon made 62 from 69 balls, studded with six fours and a six, while Kapp struck four boundaries and a maximum on her way to 56 from 71 deliveries.

The duo’s wickets brought Bangladesh back into the game, with South Africa reduced to 198-7 in 44.5 overs.

At this stage, South Africa required 35 runs from 30 balls. Yet, Nadine de Klerk, fresh from a match-winning innings against India, scored 37 from 29 balls, including a six and a four in the last over, which took her team over the line.

For Bangladesh, Nahida Akter scalped two wickets in her 9.3 overs while giving away 44 runs.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Bangladesh posted 232-6 in their 50 overs, courtesy of skipper Nigar Sultana and Shorna Akter’s half-centuries.

Both added 78 runs for the third-wicket partnership, which drove Bangladesh’s innings.

Akter’s 50 from 77 included five boundaries, while Akter’s brisk 51 from just 35 balls was laced with three fours and three sixes.

For South Africa, Nonkululeko Mlaba scalped two wickets in her quota of 10 overs.

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COLOMBO: Pakistan women team underwent an intense training session here at the Colombo Cricket Ground on Monday ahead of their encounter against England in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. 

Women in Green underwent fielding, running, and catching training in a three-hour session. National cricketers also practiced bowling and batting in the nets, alongside receiving tips on skill development.

Pakistan will play its next game against England on October 15 at RPS Stadium, Colombo.

For the unversed, the women in Green are winless in the World Cup and are yet to get off the mark on the points table.

Pakistan has suffered defeats at the hands of Bangladesh, India, and Australia. Currently, seven-time winners Australia are on top of the points table with four victories in four games.

Pakistan Team Remaining Fixtures

• 15 October – vs England
• 18 October – vs New Zealand
• 21 October – vs South Africa
• 24 October – vs Sri Lanka

Pakistan squad for ICC Women’s World Cup 2025

Fatima Sana (captain), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vice-captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicket-keeper), and Syeda Aroob Shah

Non-traveling reserves: Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Waheeda Akhtar

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COLOMBO: Skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt’s all-round performance powered England to an 89-run victory over hosts Sri Lanka in the 12th fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 on Saturday.

Set 254 under lights at the R Premadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka’s batting line faltered and were bowled out for a mere 164 in 45.4 overs.

Vishmi Gunaratne, who came into bat for retired hurt Chamari Athapaththu, fell in the penultimate over of the powerplay after scoring 10 from nine balls.

As a result, Sri Lanka were 37-1, however, Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama added 58 for the second wicket which steadied the Islanders in the chase.

England made a roaring comeback in the middle phase of the innings, removing both set batters, which reduced Sri Lanka to 98-3 in 22.3 overs.

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Perera top-scored with 35 from 60 balls, striking three fours, while Samarawickrama made 33 from 37 with the aid of five fours.

Following the wickets, the three lions took control of the match, cutting through the middle order to secure a comfortable third win in the tournament and to go on top of the points table.

For England, Sophie Ecclestone picked up four wickets in her quota of 10 overs while giving away only 17.

Earlier, after being put on to bat first, England managed to post 253-9 in their 50 overs, courtesy of Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 117 from 117 balls, laced with nine fours and two sixes.

She remained the lynchpin of England’s batting lineup, ensuring that England reached a winning total despite losing wickets at the other end.

For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera starred with the ball, scalping three wickets, whereas Udeshika Prabodhani and Sugandika Kumari bagged two wickets each.

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 2 Hasini Perera, 3 Harshitha Samarawickrama, 4 Vishmi Gunaratne, 5 Kavisha Dilhari, 6 Nilakshika de Silva, 7 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 8 Dewmi Vihanga, 9 Sugandika Kumari, 10 Inoka Ranaweera, 11 Udeshika Pabodani

England: 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Amy Jones (wk), 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren Bell

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GUWAHATI: Skipper Sophie Devine’s and Brooke Halliday’s composed half-centuries, followed by a clinical bowling performance, sealed a comprehensive 100-run victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s World Cup here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Set 229, Bangladesh were bowled out for a mere 127 in 39.5 overs.

New Zealand inflicted a poor start on Bangladesh as they removed openers Rubya Haider and Sharmin Akhter for four and three runs respectively.

The early wickets did not allow Bangladesh’s middle-order batters to settle as BlackCaps bowlers cut through the batting lineup.

Fahima Khatun top-scored with 34 from 80 balls with the help of two fours. She was the highlight of Bangladesh’s innings, adding a string of partnerships later down the order, which helped them cross the 100-run mark.

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Eventually, New Zealand bowled them out for a modest score, resulting in their first victory of the tournament.

For the Blackcaps, Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu picked up three wickets each.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, New Zealand posted 227-9 in their 50 overs, thanks to Devine and Halliday’s 112-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Bangladesh kept it tight from the start, leaving them reeling at 38-3 in 11 overs. However, the duo’s partnership drove New Zealand and helped them reach a respectable total.

Devine made 63 from 85, striking two sixes and two fours, whereas Halliday struck five fours and a six on her way to 69 from 104 balls.

For Bangladesh, Rabeya Khan remained the standout bowler, picking up three wickets in her quota of 10 overs while giving away 30 runs.

Playing XIs

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VISAKHAPATNAM: India were in sight of their third consecutive win until Nadine de Klerk’s late onslaught in the final overs helped South Africa edge past the hosts in a close finish here on Thursday.

Set 252 in the 10th fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, South Africa sealed victory in the second last over, losing seven wickets in the process.

The Proteas had a poor start as they lost opener Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus departed in the first five overs.

Following the early hiccup, Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt added 39 for the third wicket. Kapp scored 20 from 25 balls.

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However, Kapp’s dismissal sparked a mini-collapse and left South Africa reeling 81-5 in 19.4 overs.

Yet, skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who made 70 from 111 balls with the help of eight fours, held South Africa’s innings together with a string of partnerships.

But it was Nadine de Klerk’s 84 from 54 balls, striking five sixes and eight fours, which took them over the line.

For India, Sneh Rana and Kranti Gaud picked up two wickets each.

Earlier, after being put into bat, India were bowled out for 251 in 49.5 overs, thanks to Richa Ghosh’s rescuing act.

She made 94 from just 77 balls, studded with 11 fours and four sixes. India were in deep trouble at 102-6 in 26 overs when Gosh arrived.

For South Africa, Chloe Tryon remained the standout bowler, picking up three wickets.

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COLOMBO: Beth Mooney’s rescue act for the ages, followed by Kim Garth’s three-wicket haul, sealed a comfortable win for Australia against Pakistan in the ninth fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 here at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Set 222, Pakistan were skittled for a mere 114 runs in 36.3 overs.

The loss marked Pakistan’s third consecutive defeat in the World Cup and their 17th overall against Australia in ODIs. Meanwhile, the defending champions are now at the top of the points table with three wins.

Pakistan started the chase on a shaky note as opener Sadaf Shamas was caught after scoring just five in the second over.

Muneeba Ali (3) also fell in the fifth over, whereas Sidra Nawaz (5) and Natalia Pervaiz only scored one run. Eyman Fatima player her first game of the tournament also went back without scoring while attempting a wild slog.

As a result, Pakistan slumped to 31-5 in 8.4 overs.

After early wickets, Australia never allowed Pakistan to make a comeback and took wickets in quick succession, which bundled them out for a mere score.

Sidra Amin remained the standout batter for Pakistan, making 35 from 52 balls with the aid of five fours.

For Australia, Kim Garth picked up three wickets, whereas Annabel Sutherland and Megan Schutt scalped two apiece.

Earlier, A dominant bowling display from Pakistan women had defending champions Australia women reeling, before Beth Mooney’s rearguard century lifted them to a respectable total.

Put into bat first, Australia managed to score 221-9 in their 50 overs

Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield added 30 runs for the opening wicket before both openers got dismissed in the span of three balls.

Healy made 20 from 23 balls with the aid of three fours, while Litchfield made 10 from 22 deliveries with the help of a boundary.

As a result, seven-time champions Australia were reduced to 30-2 in 7.3 overs.

Pakistan continued to chip away at Australia’s middle order with wickets at regular intervals; however, Beth Mooney held firm and ensured that Australia posted a respectable total.

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Ellyse Perry was stumped for five, Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner were bowled for one run respectively. Tahlia McGrath could add only five to the total, whereas Georgia Wareham fell for nought.

Consequently, Australia were left reeling for 76-7 in 21.2 overs. Kim Garth provided Aussies some respite with a 39-run stand on the seventh wicket, however, Pakistan bowlers also removed her to take complete control of the game.

The architects of Australia’s middle over collapse were Nashra Sandhu and Rameen Shamim. Both combined to pick up five wickets with economical bowling spells.

However, Alana King and Beth Mooney forged a 106-run partnership for the eighth wicket. King scored 51 from 49 balls, striking three sixes and three fours.

Mooney, on the contrary, soaked up all the pressure and went on to score her fifth ODI century. She eventually departed after making 109 from 114 balls, studded with 11 fours.

For Pakistan, Nashra Sandhu was the standout bowler, picking up a three-wicket haul in her quota of ten overs.

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