Australia proved their strength as reigning champions by winning against Pakistan in a pivotal Women’s World Cup match on October 8. The match, held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, saw Australia overcome early challenges to secure a solid 107-run victory.
With this win, Australia climbed back to the top of the points table, surpassing England. This victory boosts their morale as they prepare to face India on October 12 in Vizag. On the other hand, Pakistan is struggling at the bottom of the table and has some tough questions to answer ahead of their upcoming game against England on October 15.
Mooney and King Lead Australia’s Recovery
Pakistan started strong, causing serious trouble for Australia by reducing them to 78 for seven in just over 21 overs. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal dismissed Alyssa Healy early on, followed by Fatima Sana taking out the dangerous Phoebe Litchfield shortly after.
Nashra Sandhu then struck again, getting rid of Ellyse Perry before bowling out Annabel Sutherland. Rameen Shamim delivered a significant blow by dismissing Ash Gardner, who had recently scored a century against New Zealand. Tahlia McGrath and Georgia Wareham, who stepped in for Sophie Molineux, also fell cheaply.
With Australia in dire straits, Beth Mooney and Alana King stepped in to stabilize the innings. From a precarious 115 for eight, the duo formed a remarkable partnership, scoring 106 runs together and propelling their team to a total of 221 for nine.
Mooney, starting off cautiously, eventually reached her fifty from 63 balls and went on to score her fifth ODI century from 110 balls, finishing with an impressive 109 not out, including 11 boundaries. King contributed significantly too, scoring 51 runs.
Pakistan Struggles in Chase
In response, Pakistan’s batting never found its rhythm, as they were bowled out for just 114 in 36.3 overs. Sadaf Shamas, who replaced Omaima Sohail, struggled again, falling to Kim Garth. Megan Schutt, making her return to the lineup in place of Darcie Brown, sent Muneeba Ali back to the pavilion.
Neither Sidra Nawaz nor Natalia Pervez reached double digits, and Eyman Fatima, who stepped in for Aliya Riaz, managed only three runs before being dismissed. Fatima Sana scored a modest 12 runs with a couple of boundaries before being dismissed by Sutherland.
Sidra Amin was the highlight for Pakistan, scoring 35 off 52 deliveries with five fours before falling while trying to clear long-on. After a promising start, Pakistan collapsed quickly, struggling against Australia’s bowling attack.
At one point, when they were at 78 for seven, Pakistan was just ahead of Australia based on the overs played. However, with Mooney and King at the crease, Australia’s depth in batting came through, showcasing their superiority over Pakistan’s lower order. While Shamim and Sandhu showed some resistance with a partnership of 13.5 overs, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
Kim Garth was the standout bowler for Australia, taking three wickets for just 14 runs, while Schutt and Sutherland each claimed two wickets. Gardner, Wareham, and King added one wicket each to round off a strong bowling performance.
Overall, it was a significant win for Australia, reinforcing their status as strong contenders in the tournament while leaving Pakistan reflecting on their performance.
Published By: Sabyasachi Chowdhury on Oct 8, 2025.
