England Women moved to the top of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 points table with a commanding 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo on October 11, 2025. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt led from the front with a brilliant 117 runs off 117 balls, while star spinner Sophie Ecclestone destroyed Sri Lanka’s batting line-up with 4 wickets for 17 runs as the hosts were bowled out for just 164 runs in 45.4 overs.
Sources: ESPNcricinfo Match Report, ICC Official Website, Official Match Scorecard
Match Scorecard
| Team | Score | Overs | Wickets | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England Women | 253/9 | 50.0 | 9 wickets | Won by 89 runs |
| Sri Lanka Women | 164 | 45.4 | All out | Lost |
Target: 254 runs
Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Toss: Sri Lanka won and chose to bowl first
Player of the Match: Nat Sciver-Brunt
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Role | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | England | Captain/All-rounder | 117 runs (117 balls, 15 fours, 2 sixes) + 2/25 |
| Sophie Ecclestone | England | Bowler | 4/17 in 10 overs |
| Inoka Ranaweera | Sri Lanka | Bowler | 3/33 in 10 overs |
| Tammy Beaumont | England | Batter | 32 runs (29 balls) |
| Harshitha Samarawickrama | Sri Lanka | Batter | 33 runs (37 balls) |
| Hasini Perera | Sri Lanka | Opener | 35 runs (60 balls) |
Key Moments
- Early English Struggles: England lost both openers in the powerplay with Amy Jones run out for 11 in the fourth over and Tammy Beaumont caught at backward point for 32 in the tenth over.
- Sciver-Brunt’s Record Century: The England captain scored her 10th ODI hundred and broke the record for most centuries in Women’s World Cup history with five tons, going past Charlotte Edwards, Suzie Bates, and Janette Brittin. She hit 15 fours and 2 sixes in her knock.
- Dropped Catch Costs Sri Lanka: Sciver-Brunt was dropped on just 3 runs by Udeshika Prabodani at midwicket off Inoka Ranaweera’s bowling. This mistake cost Sri Lanka over 100 runs.
- Ranaweera’s Double-Wicket Maiden: Sri Lankan spinner Inoka Ranaweera bowled a brilliant double-wicket maiden in the 35th over, dismissing Emma Lamb (13) bowled and Alice Capsey (0) stumped to peg England back from 146/4 to 168/6.
- Late Fireworks: Sciver-Brunt hit a stunning inside-out six over extra cover to reach her century in the 48th over, then added more boundaries as England scored 28 runs in the final two overs to reach 253/9.
- Athapaththu Injury: Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu retired hurt on 18 after being stretchered off the field during the chase, a major blow to the hosts.
- Ecclestone’s Magic: Sophie Ecclestone broke the back of Sri Lanka’s chase with career-best economy figures of 1.70. She dismissed Hasini Perera (35), Harshitha Samarawickrama (33), Kavisha Dilhari (4), and returned to dismiss Athapaththu (15) after she came back to bat.
- Sri Lanka Collapse: After reaching 95/1 in the 20th over, Sri Lanka lost four wickets for just 21 runs as Ecclestone triggered a dramatic collapse that ended their hopes.
- All-Round Captain’s Performance: Nat Sciver-Brunt also picked up 2 wickets for 25 runs with the ball, dismissing Anushka Sanjeewani and Dewmi Vihanga.
Sources: Official Match Scorecard, ESPNcricinfo, ICC
Match Analysis
England showed why they are four-time World Cup champions with a complete team performance at the R. Premadasa Stadium. After a shaky start losing both openers inside ten overs, Nat Sciver-Brunt played a captain’s knock that saved England’s innings. She combined with Heather Knight for a 60-run partnership before building another stand of 37 with Sophia Dunkley.
The key turning point was the dropped catch when Sciver-Brunt was on just 3 runs. That mistake proved very costly as she went on to score 117 runs and take England to a competitive total of 253/9.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers did well for most of the innings, with Inoka Ranaweera’s figures of 3/33 especially impressive. Sugandika Kumari also picked up 2 wickets for 66 runs. However, their fielding let them down with several misfields throughout the innings costing them valuable runs.
In the chase, Sri Lanka started steadily but suffered a major setback when captain Chamari Athapaththu had to retire hurt on 18. Despite Hasini Perera’s patient 35 and Harshitha Samarawickrama’s quickfire 33, the middle order collapsed against Sophie Ecclestone’s brilliant spin bowling.
Ecclestone’s figures of 4/17 in 10 overs were outstanding, as she maintained an economy rate of just 1.70 runs per over. The world’s number one ODI bowler showed her class by picking up four crucial wickets including the top three batters. Charlie Dean and Linsey Smith each picked up a wicket, while Alice Capsey dismissed Nilakshika Silva.
Nat Sciver-Brunt completed a memorable all-round performance by also taking 2/25 with the ball. Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were finally bowled out for 164 in 45.4 overs, falling 89 runs short of the target.
What’s Next
This third straight win takes England to the top of the World Cup points table with 6 points. They have shown strong form in all three games with wins against South Africa, Pakistan, and now Sri Lanka. Their bowling attack, led by Sophie Ecclestone, is proving very difficult for teams to handle, while Nat Sciver-Brunt’s leadership with both bat and ball has been exceptional.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, remain winless in the tournament with three losses. They will need to improve their batting consistency and fielding if they want to compete with the top teams. The injury to captain Chamari Athapaththu is also a major concern. The team management will be hoping she recovers quickly as they prepare for their next match.
England will look to continue their winning streak and maintain their position at the top of the table in their next game, while Sri Lanka must regroup quickly and work on their weaknesses to get their campaign back on track.