Colombo, 12 October (H.S.): England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt showcased a record-breaking century while Sophie Ecclestone delivered a brilliant bowling spell, leading England to an emphatic 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 match at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Sciver-Brunt scored a stunning 117 runs off 117 balls, marking her fifth Women's World Cup century and tenth ODI hundred overall, helping England post a competitive total of 253/9.In response, Sri Lanka struggled against Ecclestone’s spin wizardry. The world's No. 1 bowler claimed 4 wickets for just 17 runs, effectively derailing the Sri Lankan chase and bowling them out for 164 in 45.4 overs.

England's all-round performance was further bolstered by Sciver-Brunt's two wickets and Charlie Dean's support, as Sri Lanka lost crucial wickets at key stages.Despite a promising start with a 58-run partnership between Hasini Perera (35) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33), Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu had to retire hurt early in the innings due to cramps, impacting the team's momentum.

Veteran left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera was Sri Lanka's leading bowler with 3/33, but England’s resilience and superior bowling sealed their third consecutive win, propelling them to the top of the points table with six points, ahead of defending champions Australia.This dominant performance underscores England’s growing confidence under Sciver-Brunt’s captaincy and their strong contention for the World Cup title this year.

Brief scores:

England 253/9 (Nat Sciver-Brunt 117; Inoka Ranaweera 3/33) beat Sri Lanka 164 (Sophie Ecclestone 4/17; Nat Sciver-Brunt 2/25) by 89 runs.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar