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ISLAMABAD: A brilliant century from captain Nat Sciver-Brunt powered England to a commanding 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in their ICC Women&rsquo;s Cricket World Cup 2025 clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.&nbsp;Opting to bowl first, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s decision proved costly as England posted a formidable 253 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs.&nbsp;Sciver-Brunt led from the front with a superb 117 off 117 balls, studded with nine fours and two sixes. Tammy Beaumont (32) and Heather Knight (29) provided valuable support in building England&rsquo;s total.&nbsp;For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera stood out with impressive figures of 3 for 33, while Sugandika Kumari and Udeshika Prabodhani chipped in with two wickets apiece.&nbsp;In reply, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s chase never gained momentum as they were bowled out for 164 in 45.4 overs. Hasini Perera (35) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33) offered brief resistance, but England&rsquo;s disciplined bowling attack proved too strong. Sophie Ecclestone was exceptional, claiming 4 for 17 in her 10 overs, while Charlie Dean and Sciver-Brunt picked up two wickets each.&nbsp;The emphatic win lifted England to the top of the World Cup standings with six points from three matches, moving past Australia. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, remained in seventh place with just one point from their three outings.

Cricket

England posted 253/9 as Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed 117 (117), while Sri Lanka managed just 164 in reply. Sophie Ecclestone starred with 4/17, sealing England’s 89-run win and top spot in the standings.

England crush Sri Lanka by 89 runs in Women’s World Cup

ABU DHABI: Pakistan kept their Asia Cup campaign alive with a hard-fought five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a Super Four clash in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. With both teams having lost their opening fixtures of the second round, defeat was not an option and Pakistan&#39;s bowlers rose to the occasion tying Sri Lanka down to 133-8 on a featherbed of a pitch. Chasing what looked a modest target, Pakistan made heavy weather of it. After a brisk opening stand of 45, their innings went into free fall at 80-5. But a cool-headed 58-run partnership off 41 balls for the sixth wicket between Mohammad Nawaz and Hussain Talat steadied the ship and saw them home with 12 deliveries in hand. Nawaz struck a breezy 38 off 24 balls, while Talat anchored the innings with an unbeaten 32 off 30. Shaheen sets the tone&nbsp;Earlier, Shaheen Shah Afridi set the tone with the new ball, nipping out Sri Lanka&#39;s in-form openers inside his first two overs. The left-arm quick returned at the death to dismiss top-scorer Kamindu Mendis and closed with figures of three for 28 -- a spell that put Pakistan on the front foot. Talat and Haris Rauf chipped in with two wickets apiece, while leggie Abrar Ahmed bowled with miserly precision, giving away just eight runs in his four overs and dismissing fellow leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga. Sri Lanka, unbeaten in the first round with three wins on the trot, have hit a brick wall in the Super Four, losing to Bangladesh on Saturday and now to Pakistan. With only India left to play, their chances of making the final are hanging by a thread. Sri Lanka slump to 58-5Put in to bat, Sri Lanka slumped to 58-5 and looked set to be bundled out inside 20 overs. But Kamindu Mendis dug in, compiling a fighting 50 off 44 balls with three fours and two sixes, his third half-century in T20Is. He stitched together a 43-run stand with Chamika Karunaratne for the seventh wicket, but the former champions were still left high and dry.

Pakistan stayed alive in the Asia Cup with a tense five-wicket win over Sri Lanka, chasing 134 after strong bowling displays by Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed. Nawaz and Talat’s partnership sealed the victory. 

Pakistan stay alive in Asia Cup with win over Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD: Sri Lanka cruised to a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan on Thursday, knocking the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinalists out of the Asia Cup and topping Group B with their third straight win. Bangladesh also advanced to the Super 4 with two wins.&nbsp;Kusal Mendis anchored the chase with an unbeaten 74 off 52 balls, guiding Sri Lanka to 171-4 with more than an over to spare. His calm dismantling of Afghanistan&rsquo;s spin trio, particularly Noor Ahmad (1-37) and Rashid Khan (0-23), kept the run-chase in control.&nbsp;Earlier, Mohammad Nabi gave Afghanistan late hope with a blistering 60 off just 22 balls, smashing five sixes in the final over bowled by Dunith Wellalage. Despite Nabi&rsquo;s 46 runs in the last two overs, Afghanistan could only post 169-8 after being reduced to 114-7.&nbsp;Nuwan Thushara (4-18) starred with the ball, demolishing Afghanistan&rsquo;s top order during the powerplay. Kusal Perera&rsquo;s sharp fielding added to Afghanistan&rsquo;s woes, including two key catches.&nbsp;Mendis was supported by Kusal Perera (28) and Kamindu Mendis (26*), with Sri Lanka finishing comfortably.&nbsp;Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan admitted, &ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t bowl as well as we should have. Expectations were to at least reach the next round.&rdquo;&nbsp;Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka hailed it as &ldquo;almost a perfect game,&rdquo; aside from Nabi&rsquo;s final over heroics.

Kusal Mendis' unbeaten 74 and Nuwan Thushara’s 4-wicket haul powered Sri Lanka to a commanding win over Afghanistan.

Articles tagged with "Sri Lanka"

England crush Sri Lanka by 89 runs in Women’s World Cup

Pakistan stay alive in Asia Cup with win over Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka eliminate Afghanistan with six-wicket Asia Cup win

England crush Sri Lanka by 89 runs in Women’s World Cup