In a rain-marred contest in Colombo that ended with no result, what stood out most were the thunderbolts unleashed by Fatima Sana. Fatima Sana‘s fiery spell of 4 for 27 in 6 overs shattered England’s top order and left them gasping at 79 for 7 before an unlikely lower-order recovery. Pakistan were cruising at 34 for 0 in 6.4 overs in their chase when rain struck again, denying what looked like one of the most dramatic upsets of the Women’s World Cup.
England Crumble Under Fatima Sana’s Onslaught
England, batting first, were blown away in a lightning collapse. After reaching 13/1 early, they lost four wickets in a blink Tammy Beaumont was bowled by Diana Baig, Amy Jones followed, and Heather Knight fell lbw to Sana for 18 (off 17 balls). Nat Sciver-Brunt was beaten by an inside edge and trapped lbw for 4.
Sana’s control and movement were exemplary — she targeted the stumps and angled the ball to exploit England’s footwork. Her ability to swing and nip the ball in made her a nightmare for the batters. By the time she dismissed Charlie Dean with a caught and bowled her 4th wicket England were 133 for 9 in 31 overs.
The lower order Em Arlott (18 off 23) and Sarah Glenn (3 not out) added some respectability and ran hard, pushing the total to 133. But the damage was done.
Fatima Sana’s Spell: The Strike of a Leader
What makes Fatima Sana’s spell so special is not just the wickets, but how she got them. She bowled with relentless accuracy, maintained a tight line, and varied pace to keep batters guessing. In that hostile Colombo pitch, her movement—especially the inswingers and nip-backs—troubled even England’s most seasoned batters.
Her fourth wicket (Dean) came at a crucial moment after England had steadied briefly and punctured their resistance yet again. Her economy of 4.50 and wicket haul were among the standout bowling figures in this World Cup. That she did this while captaining the side adds even more weight to her performance.
What This Means for Pakistan & England
For Pakistan, the match felt like a victory in all but name. They outplayed England in every department, especially with the ball. Sana’s spell showed that they have the bowling attacks capable of upending heavyweights. The team would feel they were denied by the weather, not by England’s fight. Rain gods save the mighty Britishers, but questions are aplenty for England despite being at the top of the points table with 7 points
For England, this was a chastening performance. Their batting frailties were laid bare, especially against disciplined pace and movement. The collapse before the rain was unforgivable. Despite the no result, questions will be asked about their ability to cope when conditions swing against them. England would feel a sigh of relief as they were most probably going to lose the match.
In a game that rain would eventually claim, Fatima Sana’s thunderbolts wrecked England’s batting unit in masterful fashion. Her 4 for 27 reduced them to ruins, and despite Pakistan’s chase being curtailed, her spell remains the defining moment of the match. If this World Cup is to be remembered for battles between bat and ball, Sana’s performance will stand tall proof that in cricket, the storm you bring can haunt your opponent even if it’s you who never get to finish.