Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Stadium: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Toss Time: 2:30 PM
Match Starts: 3:00 PM
Watch Live: Star Sports, JioCinema (India), PTV Sports (Pakistan), Sky TV (New Zealand)
New Zealand and Pakistan meet today in an important World Cup match. Both teams need to win badly. New Zealand wants to reach the semi-finals, while Pakistan is still looking for their first win of the tournament.
How Are The Teams Doing?
New Zealand recently beat Bangladesh by 100 runs, which was a good result. Before that, they lost to Australia and South Africa, and rain stopped their match against Sri Lanka. They have played some good cricket but need to win more games to make the semi-finals.
Pakistan has had a tough tournament so far. They lost to Bangladesh, India, and Australia. Their batting has been weak in most games. However, their bowlers have done well at times. Against England, they were doing well before rain stopped the match. Pakistan needs their batters to score more runs.
Expected Playing XIs
New Zealand Women (Likely Team)
Source: ESPNcricinfo match preview
- Suzie Bates
- Georgia Plimmer
- Amelia Kerr
- Sophie Devine (captain)
- Brooke Halliday
- Maddy Green
- Isabella Gaze (wicketkeeper)
- Jess Kerr
- Rosemary Mair
- Eden Carson
- Lea Tahuhu (expected to play after resting last game)
Pakistan Women (Likely Team)
Source: ESPNcricinfo match preview
- Omaima Sohail
- Muneeba Ali
- Sidra Amin
- Aliya Riaz
- Natalia Pervaiz
- Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper)
- Fatima Sana (captain)
- Rameen Shamim
- Diana Baig
- Nashra Sandhu
- Sadia Iqbal
Note: The final teams will be announced at the toss. Pakistan has changed their batting order in different matches.
Players to Watch
| Player | Role | Why They Matter |
|---|---|---|
| Suzie Bates (NZ) | Batter | Needs only 68 runs to become second-highest run scorer in women’s ODI history; scores well against Pakistan |
| Amelia Kerr (NZ) | All-rounder | New Zealand’s best player; good with both bat and ball |
| Lea Tahuhu (NZ) | Bowler | Took 7 wickets in first three matches; bowls very well against Pakistan |
| Muneeba Ali (PAK) | Batter | Pakistan’s most experienced opener; team needs her to score runs |
| Diana Baig (PAK) | Bowler | Pakistan’s best bowler this tournament; took 4 wickets against India |
| Fatima Sana (PAK) | All-rounder | Team captain with 9 wickets so far; leads the bowling attack |
Pitch & Weather
Pitch: The Colombo stadium pitch helps batters early in the match. Later, spinners get more help. Teams usually score around 200 runs. Batting first is slightly better here.
Weather: Rain is expected today in Colombo. Temperature will be around 27-29°C with high humidity. There’s a 50-65% chance of rain, so the match might get interrupted. Three matches in Colombo were washed out recently due to rain.
Past Record
New Zealand has beaten Pakistan 15 times and lost only once in women’s ODI cricket. Their last loss was in 2017. But Pakistan’s bowlers have troubled top teams lately—they had Australia at 60/6 and England at 70/7 in recent games.
What to Expect Today
New Zealand should win this match. They have a stronger team and have beaten Pakistan many times before. Captain Sophie Devine and star player Amelia Kerr can win matches on their own. Their fast bowler Lea Tahuhu has been bowling really well.
Pakistan’s main problem is batting. If their openers Muneeba Ali and Omaima Sohail can score good runs, their bowlers—Fatima Sana, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, and Sadia Iqbal—can defend the total. They have good bowlers but need runs on the board.
The biggest problem today is the weather. With rain forecast all day, both teams will hope to play a full match. New Zealand can’t afford another washout as they need wins for the semi-finals. Pakistan desperately needs a victory to keep their hopes alive.
Our Prediction
If the weather allows a complete game, New Zealand should win comfortably. They are the stronger team with better players and more experience. But if Pakistan’s batters finally score big runs and their bowlers use the conditions well, they could cause an upset.
Most Likely Result: New Zealand to win by 40-60 runs (if they bat first) or by 5-7 wickets (if they chase), if rain doesn’t stop the match.
Sources:
- ESPNcricinfo Match Preview (October 18, 2025)
- Female Cricket World Cup Coverage (October 18, 2025)
- Weather forecasts from weather services