ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 | Match 12: Sri Lanka vs England | Preview and Predictions

The action at the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup keeps on coming thick and fast, with co-hosts Sri Lanka set to take on England in Match 12.

England will look to continue their flawless run at the World Cup, while the Lankans are still waiting for their first win.

For this game, here are our preview and predictions.

ICC Women’s CWC 2025 | Match 12: SL vs ENG | 15:00 IST, October 11

After running through South Africa in their opening game, England picked up a nervy win against Bangladesh to secure a comfortable top-half spot in the table.

Bowling has been the strongest aspect of the English Lionesses’ game thus far. Spinners Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Alice Capsey, and Linsey Smith have been the chief wreckers. Smith’s slow left-arm has opened the innings in both games, with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt rotating her bowlers perfectly. Sciver-Brunt also has a host of other bowlers at her disposal, having used as many as six options so far.

Having not really been needed in the first game, the England batters had a tricky chase against Bangladesh that saw the experienced Heather Knight dig in to take them home. Even though the middle order is yet to get going, Sciver-Brunt knows that her side can bat deep, as far as No. 9, with Ecclestone more than handy with the bat. At the top of the order, the English boast a ton of experience thanks to the likes of Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones, Knight, Sciver-Brunt, and Sophie Dunkley, most of whom will be expected to shoulder more responsibility going forward in these tricky and tough batting conditions.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have had a rough start to their home World Cup campaign. After a loss to fellow co-hosts India, they had their game against defending champions Australia washed out.

In the only game they’ve completed so far, Sri Lanka started well with the ball, and their experienced operators had India in a spot of bother at 124/6. Once veteran left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera ran through the Indian top and middle orders, Sri Lanka should have managed to close the game there and then, but the Women in Blue came back roaring to put up a more than respectable total of 269/8.

Barring pacers Achini Kulasuriya and Udeshika Prabodhani, Sri Lanka have picked a spin-heavy bowling line-up for the tournament, which is ideal for the conditions — albeit a bit on the older side. There is also the vast experience of captain and all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu to rely on.

Against India, Sri Lanka were let down by the batters after a stellar bowling display. Chasing a modest total, they were cruising at 103/2 in 20 overs before a failure to convert promising starts into big scores and a middle-order collapse saw them bowled out for 211. Athapaththu knows she’ll have to take up more responsibility going forward, and so will the likes of Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Vishmi Gunaratne, all of whom have considerable international experience.

Playing at home, Sri Lanka will feel much more comfortable, and while England hold the edge given the firepower in their squad, this should be a close and exciting encounter.

Fantasy XI: Tammy Beaumont, Chamari Athapaththu (vc), Amy Jones (wk), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nilakshika Silva, Sophie Ecclestone (c), Charlie Dean, Linsey Smith, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhani

Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Winners Prediction: England