Colombo : Sophie Ecclestone notched a four-wicket haul as England claimed a massive 89-run win over Sri Lanka to go atop the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 points table.
Chasing 254, Sri Lanka had got off to a steady start before skipper Chamari Athapaththu was stretchered off due to an injury, followed by Charlie Dean claiming Vishmi Gunarathne.
Harshitha Samarawickrama joined opener Hasini Perera as the duo steadied the ship with a 58-run partnership, before Sophie Ecclestone broke the back of Sri Lanka’s batting line-up, picking up four wickets, ensuing a mini collapse, where the hosts slipped from 95/1 to 116/5.
The No.1 ODI bowler would run through the Sri Lanka top-order, claiming the wickets of four off their top-five batters.
Ecclestone’s stanout dismissal was that of Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, breaching through the left-hander’s gates with a turning delivery that came back in sharply and went between the bat and pads to affect the stumps.
Complementing her from the other end, skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt notched a brace in no time. The right-arm quick would open her account with the ball by rapping one around Anushka Sanjeewani’s pads.
She then claimed a second wicket, courtesy of a sharp catch by Charlie Dean inside the 30-yard circle, reducing Sri Lanka to seven wickets down.
Nilakshika Silva and Sugandika Kumari would then depart in quick succession as Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean struck off back-to-back deliveries.
Linsey Smith would also get on the wickets sheet to wrap up the game, with skipper Sciver-Brunt claiming the final catch on what was a remarkable outing for her.
Earlier in England’s innings, captain Sciver-Brunt had led from the front with a record-breaking century as England piled on 253/9 against Sri Lanka in their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 contest.
Coming in to bat after both England openers were dismissed in the powerplay, Sciver-Brunt held her end with wickets tumbling at the other on regular intervals.
The 33-year-old compiled a run-a-ball 117 – her fifth hundred at Women’s Cricket World Cups. Sciver-Brunt now holds the most tons in the tournament’s history (5), going past Janette Brittin, Suzie Bates and her England coach Charlotte Edwards (4) in the tally.
The innings came on the back of an impressive Sri Lankan bowling display. After Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu had won the toss and elected to field first at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, the hosts struck early in the innings as Kavisha Dilhari ran Amy Jones out.
Her opening partner Tammy Beaumont fell soon after, with Harshitha Samarawickrama holding onto a well-judged catch at backward point, after the batter tried step out and attack.
Having lost two wickets in the powerplay, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt would combine alongside in-form veteran Heather Knight to lead her side’s recovery, bringing up the 100 for the team as the innings crossed the 20-over mark.
But just as the duo had added 60 runs for the third wicket partnership, Knight was caught by Dewmi Vihanga off Inoka Ranaweera.
Shortly afterwards, Kaveesha Dilhari held onto a brilliant return catch off her own bowling to dismiss Sophia Dunkley and Sri Lanka gave England a stern challenge in Colombo.
Ranaweera then, delivered a magnificent double-wicket maiden as Sri Lanka put the four-time winners under scanner.
It then took a partnership forging between England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlie Dean to steady the ship for England. The pair added valuable 48-runs on the board before Udeshika Prabodhani struck a breakthrough to remove Dean (19).
Shortly afterwards, Anushka Sanjeewani completed another quick piece of stumping off Sugandika Kumari as Sri Lanka reduced England to eight wickets down.
However, Sciver-Brunt shifted gears towards the end of England’s innings, bringing her ton with a gorgeous inside-out six before piercing four more boundaries to take England past the 250-run mark.
Brief Scorecard :
1st Innings :
ENG : 253-9 (50)
Nat Sciver-Brunt : 117 (117)
SL :
Inoka Ranaweera : 3/33
2nd Innings :
SL : 164 (45.4)
Hasini Perera : 35 (60)
ENG :
Sophie Ecclestone : 4/17
Result : England won by 89 runs.
