In a heartbreaking turn of events at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, Pakistan’s crucial group-stage match against England in Colombo was abandoned due to persistent rain — ending Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying for the semifinals.
The match began with Pakistan winning the toss and opting to bowl first, a decision that quickly paid off. The English batting lineup struggled to find rhythm against Pakistan’s disciplined attack, collapsing to 78 for 7 at one stage.
Pacer Fatima Sana led the charge with a brilliant spell, taking 4 wickets for just 27 runs. Saadia Iqbal impressed with two wickets, while Diana Baig and Ramin Shamim picked up one apiece to maintain relentless pressure on the English batters.
Rain interruptions forced the match to be shortened to 31 overs per side. England managed to recover slightly and posted 133 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted overs, setting a competitive but chaseable total under the revised conditions.
According to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, Pakistan was given a target of 113 runs in 31 overs. Openers began confidently, reaching 34 without loss in just 6.4 overs before heavy rain returned, halting play once again.
Despite repeated efforts to resume the match, the downpour never eased. The umpires eventually had no choice but to call off the game, leaving Pakistan’s players visibly disappointed as their campaign dreams washed away with the rain.
The abandoned match meant both teams shared one point each. For England, it was a minor setback in their march toward the knockout stage, but for Pakistan, it marked the official end of their semifinal hopes.
Pakistan, having already suffered defeats against Bangladesh, India, and Australia, now sit at the bottom of the points table with just one point from four matches. With three games remaining, the team will be playing only for pride and redemption in the rest of the tournament.
