England overcame a stuttering start to come to the party with both bat and ball to thrash Sri Lanka in Colombo. England looked determined to stay unbeaten and get full points and they did that with flying colours and were led by their captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. Nat Sciver-Brunt took advantage of the dropped catch earlier in the day and scored a majestic 117, her 10th ODI ton and 5th in World Cups to help England recover from a precarious situation to post 253/9 in 50 overs. Inoka Ranaweera picked up 3/33 with the ball for Sri Lanka.
Then while defending the score, Sophie Ecclestone was at her best as she picked up 4/17 in 10 overs with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt picking up 2 wickets as well with the ball and Charlie Dean also picked up a couple of wickets to skittle Sri Lanka out for 164 in 45.4 overs. With this win, England go top of the points table with 6 points with 3 wins out of 3 games one ahead of reigning champions Australia.
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s Stellar 10th Ton helps England get to 253/9
Put into bat first, Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont came out to open for England while Udeshika Prabodhani had ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Amy Jones started things off with a bang as she played an expansive cover drive and got the thick outside edge to short third man area for a boundary. Sugandika Kumari had ball in hand from the other end. Beaumont was given OUT LBW but she reviewed it successfully and got the decision overturned in her favour. Beaumont then pressed forward and drove it sweetly through the covers for a boundary.
Prabodhani continued and bowled a decent over. Beaumont took the attack to Kumari by hitting her for back-to-back boundaries through short fine leg and through backward point as well. Against the run of play, England lost Amy Jones via a run out for 11 off 13 balls with a boundary to her name. Miscommunication by the batters and it led to a run out at the striker’s end. Heather Knight came out to bat next.
Beaumont flicked away a poor ball through fine leg as the deep backward square leg fielder ran across and dived near the ropes. Beaumont then took the attack to Kumari by reaching for it and opened the bat face past backward point for a boundary. Sri Lanka appealed for LBW against Heather Knight but the ball was clearly going down leg stump and Sri Lanka lost the review. Prabodhani continued and bowled a miserly over. Knight was beaten all ends up by Kumari.
Chamari Athapaththu came into the attack next. Chamari bowled a quiet over. Kumari continued as Beaumont used her feet to thump it over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Kumari struck for Sri Lanka as Beaumont fell for 32 off 29 balls with 6 fours to her name. Kumari tossed it up around the off-stump gripping and turning away a shade.
Beaumont stepped down the track and swung her bat across the line. She lost her shape and sliced it away on the off-side. The fielder at backward point moved to her left and took a good catch. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt came to the crease next. Sciver-Brunt got off the mark straightaway as England reached 50/2 in 10 overs at the end of the mandatory powerplay.
Chamari continued and bowled a quiet over. Inoka Ranaweera came into the attack next. She bowled a nice over to start the proceedings. Chamari continued as Heather Knight broke the shackles by dancing down the track and slammed it over top of mid-on for a boundary. Sciver-Brunt was then dropped by Prabodhani at short midwicket when she was on 3 and the score for England was 63 in the 14th over. Surely, Sciver-Brunt would make the Sri Lankans pay. Ranaweera is keeping things tight. Chamari continued as Knight broke the shackles by going over mid-on for a boundary. Ranaweera bowled another good over.
Chamari continued as Sciver-Brunt rocked back and cut it away past the left of backward point for a boundary. In the end, 7 runs came off this over. Ranaweera continued and bowled a miserly over. Dewmi Vihanga came out to bat at 11. Sciver-Brunt rocked back and pulled it away to the left of diving forward square leg for a boundary.
Nat Sciver-Brunt stepped down the track and she pumped it down the ground over long-on for a boundary as the 100 came up for South Africa in 19.1 overs. Ranaweera adjusted the length and there is still water logged same ground. England were 103/2 in 20 overs.
Vihanga continued and bowled a quiet over. Ranaweera bowled and appealed as there was LBW celebrations and they need to find the main guys before T20 World Cup 2026. Ranaweera broke through as she beat Knight earlier today. Ranaweera bowled a length ball around off-stump gripping and turning away. Knight got down on one knee and looked to play the reverse sweep. The ball touched the gloves according to replays and the decision changed to OUT. Sophia Dunkley came out to bat for England. Vihanga also bowled a quiet over. Dunkley too kept things tight.
Kavisha Dilhari came into the attack next. She got off the mark soon. Kavisha Dilhari came into the attack now as Sciver-Brunt swept her away got down on one knees and swept it away for the boundary to give her dead body to short fine leg. At the halfway stage of the innings, England were 125/3 in 25 overs.
Vihanga continued and bowled a very decent session. Dilhari kept things tight in the middle. Vihanga continued and bowled a tight over. Then Nat Sciver-Brunt got to fifty in 57 balls her 20th fifty. The rest of the batting was struggling to take the heat away. After 30 overs. England were 145/3 and looked to accelerate out there.
Dilhari dismissed Dunkly for a duck. Dilhari from over the wicket tossed it up around fourth stump line gripped and turned back in a shade. Dunkley pressed forward and drove it uppishly straight down the ground for a boundary. Emma Lamb came out to bat next and got off the mark start. Vihanga returned with the 150 coming up for England in 31.2 overs.
The TV umpire has been called for and the players gave certain players a lifeline. Drinks was taken after 32 overs. Lamb took the attack to Dilhari hitting her for back-to-back boundaries through third man and fine leg fence. Sciver-Brunt powerfully hit it past midwicket for a boundary. Vihanga bowled it extremely well. Nat hit her down the ground past the bowler for a boundary.
Ranaweera returned and got rid of Lamb. Ranaweera from around the wicket could toss it up fuller length and middle stump line. Lamb shuffled across the stumps, got down one knee and looked to paddle it away. She missed it on the inside edge and the ball crashed onto the stumps.
Alice Capsey came into the attack next. Ranaweera got two in the over. Ranaweera tossed it up delivery full around the middle stump line turning away. Capsey was drawn forward as she looked to drive it through covers. She was nowhere to the pitch of the ball and whipped the bails off in a flash. Capsey’s back foot was short of her ground.
Ranaweera bowled a double wicket maiden over. Dilhari also kept things tight. Ranaweera kept things under check. Dilhari took another catch out there. Ranaweera finished a decent day and decent day in the office. Dilhari came back and bowled a miserly spell. England reached 179/6 in 40 overs.
Kumari bowled a good spell/ Dean brought out the reverse sweep and nailed it towards backward point region. Prabodhani came back to bowl. She bowled a decent over. Kumari kept things under check. Prabodhani continued as india challenged the DRS against Sciver-Brunt. The decision was upheld and the review was lost. The ball pitched outside the leg stump. Kumari continued as the 200 came up in 44.1 overs. England reached 204/6 in 45 overs.
Prabodhani continued as the batter Gill survived a run out check in the field. Prabodhani then removed Dean for 19 off 36 balls with a boundary to her name. Prabodhani bowled full around off-stump. Dean shuffled across the stumps and got down on one knee. She looked to use the pace of the ball and scoop it over the top of short fine leg. She failed to clear Vihanga at that position and the spinner took the easy catch. Sophie Ecclestone came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed Kumari down the ground for a boundary over the bowler’s head. Kumari removed Ecclestone for 3 off 4 balls. Kumari bowled length ball drifting down the leg side. Ecclestone missed the glance on the inside edge to the keeper. Sanjeewani does well to whip off the bails in a flash. Linsey Smith came out to bat next. There was a run out scare at the bowler’s end but no damage done in the end. Prabodhani got more fumbles in.
Nat Sciver-Brunt brought up her hundred through the inside out show over extra covers and mid-off for the maximum to reach her 10th ODI ton and 5th in India. Sciver-Brunt managed to hit the shot over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Nat caressed through the off-side and gets it to cover point for a boundary. She next carved it away over backward point region for a boundary at deep backward point region. Nat completed a hat-trick of boundaries to thump it through extra covers for a boundary.
Prabodhani got rid of Sciver-Brunt for 117 off 117 balls with 9 fours and 2 sixes to her name. She bowled a juicy full toss which Nat cleared her front leg to smash it over long-on but mistimed it off the splice of her blade. She didn’t get enough elevation on this one as the fielder at long-on settled underneath it to take the catch. The marathon innings came to an end. Lauren Bell came out to bat next and got off the mark as England finished with 253/9 in 50 overs. 5 extras given by the fielding side.
For the bowlers, Inoka Ranaweera was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/33 in 10 overs. Udeshika Prabodhani finished with 2/55 in 9 overs. Sugandika Kumari finished with 2/66 in 10 overs. Kavisha Dilhari chipped in with 1/34 in 8 overs. Chamari Athapaththu remained wicketless as a captain. Vihanga remained wicketless as well. This meant Sri Lanka needed 254 to win the contest off 50 overs.
Sophie Ecclestone’s brilliant 4-wicket haul dethrones Sri Lanka and skittled the hosts out for 164 in 45.4 overs
Chasing 254 for the win, Hasini Perera and Chamari Athapaththu came out to bat for Sri Lanka while Lauren Bell had ball in hand for England. Bell bowled a tight over. Linsey Smith took the ball from the other end. She also bowled a quiet over. Bell continued and bowled another quiet over. Smith continued and then Athapaththu broke the shackles by leaning forward and lofted it over mid-on for a boundary. Bell continued as Perera cut the ball away through backward point of a boundary.
Smith continued as Chamari injured herself with a calf strain and she was in serious pain and had to go off the field on a stretcher. Vishmi Gunaratne came out to bat to replace her captain. Gunaratne took the attack to Bell for consecutive boundaries to end the 7th over. Smith bowled a miserly over. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt came out to bowl next. Perera played the deft touch to clear it past short third man for a boundary. Charlie Dean came into the attack and got the breakthrough for 10 off 9 balls with 2 fours to her maiden.
Gunaratne tossed up delivery from around fourth stump from over the wicket. The ball pitched and turned back in sharply. Gunaratne stepped down on one knee to work it out in the leg side. She got beaten on the inside edge as the ball sneaked through to clatter the stumps. Harshitha Samarawickrama came out to bat next. Sri Lanka were 37/1 in 10 overs at the end of the powerplay.
Sciver-Brunt continued as Perera stood out and pulled it to deep backward square leg for a welcome boundary. Dean continued and bowled a miserly over. Alica Capsey came into the attack now. The 50 came up for Sri Lanka in 13th over. Capsey bowled a tight over. Dean conceded 5 extras to the batting side. Samarawickrama managed to get a boundary away off Dean. Samarawickrama managed to get an outside edge of four to double people. Drinks was taken after 15 overs.
Dean continued as Samarawickrama hit through the covers for a boundary. Alice Capsey bowled the 19th over and it was tight. Dean continued as Samarawickrama by sweeping down on one knee and the ball went to short fine leg region. Harshitha then got a top edge behind square for a boundary towards backward point region.
Sophie Ecclestone came into the attack next. She bowled a quiet over. Linsey Smith came into the crease same. Sophie got the big breakthrough for England. Sophie from over the wicket tossed up around off-stump. Perera stepped down the track and looked to take the aerial route and slams it from the toe end of the bat. She failed to clear mid-on who took a good catch. Kavisha Dilhari came into the attack next.
Ecclestone came into the act this time and bowled a maiden over. Smith too kept the tight ending. Sophie removed Harshitha for 33 off 37 balls with 5 fours to her name. It was a short of a length around middle and leg stump. She got down on one knee and played the sweep shot and got a top edge to short fine leg. Ecclestone bowled back to back wicket maiden overs. Smith gave anything away as the 100 came up in 23.4 overs. Ecclestone strikes again and then we will chat about Dilhari for 4 off 15 balls.
Tossed up delivery from Ecclestone, Dilhari got down on one knee and went for the big slog sweep and got beaten on the inside edge and the ball crashed on the off-stump. Nilakshi de Silva came out to bat next as South Africa were 103/4 in 25 overs at the halfway stage of the chase.
Lauren Bell returned to the attack as Chamari square drove her for a boundary after coming back from the massive injury scare. Sophie continued to bowl maiden overs. Bell gifted 5 wides to the Sri Lanka batting. Silva survived a check as she was hit on the pads. Appeal he is doing and the umpire’s call saved the batter. Sophie then hit the final nail in the coffin as she removed Chamari for 15 off 39 balls with 2 fours to her name.
Sophie bowled a flighted full delivery around the fourth stump pitched and turned back in sharply. Chamari pressed forward and went for the expansive drive away from the body and got beaten on the inside edge to leave a gap between bat and pad and onto the stumps it was good. Anushka Sanjeewani came out to the middle next. Silva was pinged in front, but DRS was not needed as Australia decided not to challenge it. England were 119/5 in 30 overs.
Sophie kept on bowling misers giving nothing away. de Silva broke the shackles by pulling it to deep square leg and deep fine leg for a boundary. Drinks was also taken at this point where Sri Lanka were struggling at 125/5 in 32 overs. Sanjeewani hit Sophie for a cracking boundary past extra covers.
The captain Nat-Sciver Brunt brought herself on and she took the dismissal for 10 off 20 balls for Sanjeewani. Nat bowled short of a good length around middle and leg stump. Sanjeewani hung back and missed the tuck on the inside edge. She wore a high in the back pad. Sanjeewani was deep in her crease. Three Reds on Ball Tracking and the review was burnt as well. Dewmi Vihanga came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Ecclestone kept things very tight. Brunt too was keeping the score under check. Ecclestone finished her magical spell as well.
Nat Sciver-Brunt was on a roll as she got rid of Vihanga for 3 off 15 balls. She bowled short of a length delivery around the middle and leg stump. Vihanga cleared her front leg and played the short arm jab uppishly where Dean at midwicket dived to her right and took a fantastic catch with both hands. Sugandika Kumari came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Silva managed to get a boundary away past mid-off off Dean. Capsey returned to the attack and got rid of Silva now for 23 off 38 balls with 2 fours to her name. Capsey tossed it up full around middle and leg stump, de Silva looked to work it away on the leg side and chipped it in the air as Knight at short midwicket took the dolly catch. Udeshika Prabodhani came out to bat next as Sri Lanka crashed to 157/8 in 40 overs.
Dean soon got into the act as she removed Kumari for 4 off 8 balls. Dean from around the wicket bowled a tossed up delivery full around the middle and leg stump that came in with the arm. Kumari leaned forward and looked to drive it through covers. She got beaten on the inside edge and the ball rattled the stumps. Inoka Ranaweera came out to bat next,
Capsey bowled a maiden over. England used a tactical review against Prabodhani for LBW which was given NOT OUT and it stayed NOT OUT with the team losing the review. Dean completed the over. Smith returned to the attack and bowled a maiden over. Dean too kept it tight as Sri Lanka were on the brink at 163/9 in 45 overs. Smith picked the last wicket and finished things off dismissing Prabodhani for a duck off 18 balls.
Smith tossed it up full around off-stump. Prabodhani leaned forward and drove it uppishly. Nat Sciver-Brunt stood at catching cover and took a simple catch with both hands. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 164 in 45.4 overs with Ranaweera remaining unbeaten on 3 off 15 balls. 24 extras given by the fielding side.
Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/17 in 10 overs. Charlie Dean chipped in with 2/47 in 9 overs. Nat Sciver-Brunt finished with 2/25 in 5 overs. Linsey Smith chipped in with 1/22 in 8.4 overs. Alice Capsey chipped in with 1/15 in 5 overs. Lauren Bell chipped in with 0/32 in 8 overs. So, England win by a comprehensive 89-run to make it 3 wins out of 3 games to go top of the points table. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt was awarded the Player of the Match for her all-round performance.
What Lies AheadÂ
The bandwagon moves from Colombo back to Visakhapatnam where we have a blockbuster on Sunday. It is India vs Australia on 12th October 2025 at 3 PM IST. Australia will start as overwhelming favourites. Can India upset the apple cards on Super Sunday? We shall find out the answer on Super Sunday.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI WC 2025: Nat Sciver-Brunt’s Ton Trounces Sri Lanka