Four-time champions and the last-time runners-up England Women have booked their place for the Semi-finals of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 after beating the hosts India Women by four runs, as the hosts are now under pressure, as there is only one spot remaining for the Semi-finals of the tournament.

India Women had a 289-run target against England Women, as the win would be very helpful for India Women to put one step ahead in the Semi-finals qualification. While it was India Women's record Women's ODI chase, Smriti Mandhana (88), skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (70), and Deepti Sharma's (50) brilliant batting performances put the hosts in a comfortable position in the chase. However, the hosts lost the momentum in the slog overs and suffered a four-run defeat in the thriller. 

See Also: Qualification scenario of India for Semi Final in ongoing Women ODI World Cup 2025

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: England Women became 3rd team to book Semi-finals spot

With this crucial win, England Women maintained their unbeaten record in the tournament, as they have earned nine points after five games, with four wins and one no result. While Australia Women and England Women are the only unbeaten teams in the tournament, the English side became the third team to book a Semi-final spot after Australia Women and South Africa Women secured the places.

With nine points after five matches (four wins and one no result), Australia Women are leading the points table, while England Women are in second position. Meanwhile, South Africa Women are in third place with eight points after five games (four wins and one loss). 

India Women vs New Zealand Women: Do-or-die match for both teams

Now the hosts India Women are under pressure with four points after five matches, with two wins and three losses. While they are in the fourth position, New Zealand Women are in the fifth place with four points after five games, but one win, two losses, and two no results. On Thursday (October 23), India Women will face New Zealand Women, which will be the must-win game for both teams to qualify for the Semis, as only one spot is available and both teams are challenging strongly for the spot.

Bangladesh Women, Sri Lanka Women, and Pakistan Women all have two points each, as they are in the last three places, respectively. However, Sri Lanka Women and Pakistan Women both are searching for their first win in the tournament.  

Match 16 of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 will see England Women (ENG-W) take on Pakistan Women (PAK-W) at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, October 15. Heather Knight's England team is the only undefeated team in the tournament and heads into the match as a clear favorite. With a dream run to start the campaign, the England team has been mightily impressive in all areas of the game.

The English side has had a dream run so far with all-round dominating performances. They began their campaign with back-to-back 10-wicket and 89-run wins against South Africa and Sri Lanka, respectively. In their third match, Bangladesh Women gave them a hard time, but the experience of captain Heather Knight and the brilliance of Nat Sciver-Brunt saw England home in a tricky chase of 179 runs with a few balls and four wickets to spare.

On the other hand, Pakistan Women are yet to find form and have had a tough tournament so far. Fatima Sana and her teammates are yet to open their account on the points table, having lost all of their league matches thus far. They started off their tournament with a seven-wicket loss to Bangladesh, followed by defeats to India and Australia, both by 88 runs and 107 runs, respectively. Their batters have not been able to capitalize on starts made, whilst the bowling attack has been unable to keep the opposition batters.

ENG-W vs PAK-W: Head-to-Head in ODIs

England Women have a dominant record against Pakistan in ODIs and will look to extend that streak. Pakistan, on the other hand, will aim to pull off an upset and register their first win of the tournament.

• Matches Played: 15
• ENG-W Won: 13
• PAK-W Won: 0
• No Result: 2

ENG-W vs PAK-W: Stadium Stats (ODIs)

The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has seen teams that bat first have success, as the first-innings scores are usually high and can be decisive.

• Total Matches: 182
• Matches won batting first: 101
• Matches won bowling first: 69
• Average 1st Innings Score: 233
• Average 2nd Innings Score: 190
• Highest Total: 375/5 (50 overs) by IND vs SL
• Lowest Total: 50/10 (15.2 overs) by SL vs IND
• Highest Successful Chase: 292/4 (48.3 overs) by SL vs AUS
• Lowest Total Defended: 170/10 (49.2 overs) by WI-W vs SL-W

See Also: [WATCH] Rohit Sharma stays calm as fans crowd around him before Delhi departure

ENG-W vs PAK-W: Predicted Playing XIs

England Women (ENG-W): Amy Jones (WK), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (C), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell.

Pakistan Women (PAK-W): Sadas Shamas, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (WK), Natalia Pervaiz, Eyman Fatima, Fatima Sana (C), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal.

Women’s World Cup 2025: Points Table

After the completion of fifteen matches, the updated points table is as follows:

England Women secured their third straight win in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 by beating Sri Lanka Women by 89 runs in Match 12. With this win, England temporarily moved to the top of the points table. After losing a couple of early wickets in the powerplay, Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt stabilized the innings. England’s middle order struggled for a while, but Sciver-Brunt remained strong and scored a brilliant 117 off 117 balls, including nine fours and two sixes, guiding England to a challenging total of 253.

Sri Lanka’s bowling was led by Inoka Ranaweera, who took three wickets, while Udeshika Prabodhani and Sugandika Kumari picked up two wickets each. Despite this, they allowed enough runs for England to set a large target. Chamari Athapaththu had to retire hurt early on and only returned to make 15 runs. Although Sri Lanka started their chase with a little hope, early wickets, including Hasini Perera to Sophie Ecclestone, put them under pressure. Ecclestone bowled superbly, taking 4 wickets for 17 runs in her 10 overs.

Sri Lanka struggled to build partnerships, with only three players making 20 runs or more. England’s bowlers, including Sciver-Brunt, who took two wickets in the second innings, made sure the chase never took off. England dominated with bat and ball while Sri Lanka could not recover from early difficulties. This win was another strong performance for England, while Sri Lanka remains winless in the tournament. Below are the main reasons for the Sri Lanka Women's defeat:

1. Nat Sciver-Brunt's Century

Nat Sciver-Brunt made an outstanding knock of 117 runs off 117 balls, including nine fours and two sixes, making her the first to register a fifth hundred in ICC Women's World Cup history. She was dropped on a modest score of 3 early on, which ultimately cost Sri Lanka. This century helped England to a respectable total of 253 for 9 in their full 50 overs.

See Also: Women's World Cup 2025 Match 13: IND-W vs AUS-W head-to-head, stadium stats, predicted playing XIs & points table

2. Sophie Ecclestone's Bowling Masterclass

Sophie Ecclestone, a left-arm spinner, played a brilliant bowling performance, taking 4 wickets for just 17 runs in 10 overs. She sparked a middle-order collapse for Sri Lanka taking three wickets for just eight runs in a crucial four-over spell. Her wickets included such key batters as Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, and Chamari Athapaththu.

3. Sri Lanka's batting collapse and inability to build sustained partnerships

After a good beginning, where they reached 95/2 at one point, Sri Lanka's batting collapsed after the inclusion of Ecclestone in the bowling team. Only Hasini Perera (35 runs) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33 runs) scored decent runs before the team's collapse. The team could not establish settled partnerships required to chase the tough score of England. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 164 in 45.4 overs, losing by 89 runs.

England Women (ENG W) will take on Sri Lanka Women (SL W) in Match No. 12 of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday, October 11. The English outfit captained by Heather Knight has been in terrific form thus far, winning both of their opening matches with ease and sitting second on the points table. England’s versatility and experience is strengthening their case as one of the main title contenders this year. 

Sri Lanka Women, under the captaincy of Chamari Athapaththu, are still chasing their first victory of the competition. Sri Lanka suffered a loss in their opening match against India, followed by a washout against Australia in their second match, leaving them with just one point. The batting line-up from the island nation will need to be more consistent if they are to put England’s strong bowling attack to the test. 

England have dominated Sri Lanka historically, with their head-to-head statistics proving this further. Sri Lanka will need a spirited performance from their captain and senior players to stun the opposition in Colombo. The tournament is moving quickly now, and both teams will be keen to fortify their position on the table, and build some momentum.

ENG-W vs SL-W Head-to-Head in ODIs

England Women have a dominant record over Sri Lanka Women, having won most of their past encounters convincingly across formats.

• Matches Played: 20
• ENG-W Won: 17
• SL-W Won: 1
• No Result: 2

ENG-W vs SL-W: Stadium Stats (ODIs)

The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has seen teams that bat first have success, as the first-innings scores are usually high and can be decisive.

• Total Matches: 181
• Matches won batting first: 100
• Matches won bowling first: 69
• Average 1st Innings Score: 232
• Average 2nd Innings Score: 190
• Highest Total: 375/5 (50 overs) by IND vs SL
• Lowest Total: 50/10 (15.2 overs) by SL vs IND
• Highest Successful Chase: 292/4 (48.3 overs) by SL vs AUS
• Lowest Total Defended: 170/10 (49.2 overs) by WI-W vs SL-W

See Also: Women’s World Cup 2025: Who said what? after NZ-W vs BAN-W match 11

ENG-W vs SL-W: Predicted Playing XIs

England Women (ENG-W): Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlotte Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell

Sri Lanka Women (SL-W): Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera

Women’s World Cup 2025: Points Table

After the completion of eleven matches, the points table looks like this:

England Women registered a hard-fought four-wicket victory over Bangladesh Women in Match 8 of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Bangladesh, who won the toss, chose to bat first but could not score as they would have liked. Sobhana Mostary played patiently for her 60 runs from 108 balls, while wickets kept falling at the other end. A quick 43 runs from Rabeya Khan in the final overs helped Bangladesh reach 178 runs before getting all out in 47.2 overs.

England's pursuit was not off to a good beginning, with Marufa Akter bowling superbly and removing two wickets early. But captain Heather Knight countered with a composed and assured innings, making 76 off 107 deliveries. Charlie Dean assisted her by making 23, as the duo guided England out of early woes. Though they lost a couple of wickets in the end, England overhauled the target in 45.5 overs to achieve a four-wicket victory. 

ENG-W vs PAK-W: Who Said What?

Heather Knight (Player of the Match):

"Those weren't the easiest conditions. Bangladesh have got a good bowling attack. They are skillful. We were under pressure but happy to get across the line in the World Cup. On Marufa Akter – she's a very good bowler. She gets that late swing which is rare. She's a trump card and it was a challenge for us. I got reprieved a couple of times. Capsey played really well to get a little partnership. Charlie also played well. We spoke about building a partnership. The way they bowled with accuracy, it was good to get that partnership under pressure. Good. I have lost a few kgs. It has been ages since I have fielded 50 overs and batted for so long. There will be some stiffness but happy to do so."

See Also: Women's World Cup 2025 Match 9: AUS-W vs PAK-W head-to-head, stadium stats, predicted playing XIs & points table

Nat Sciver-Brunt (England Women Captain):

"Yeah, we did what we needed to get over the line. Before the tournament, we spoke as a group that we need to be gritty and resilient to get over the line. It could have looked better but we are a happy side. Early on, it felt it was easier to hit seam. Capsey bowled some important overs. It was very valuable and we were happy to restrict them to that total. We are pretty lucky to have Linsey and Sophie who can bowl in the death. Something to think for me when the lights come in, it's easier to bat and bring back Bell in the attack or hold back Sophie. Talking about the balance of the side, great thing is we have Charlie coming in at that number. The calmness that they both showed was brilliant. We would have liked to get over the line with more wickets in hand."

Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh Women Captain):

"It was an incredible game how my girls fought till the last ball. It was incredible. We lost early wickets but Sobhana played a good knock but no one supported her. Rabeya played a good cameo. We were 20-30 runs short on this surface. I wanted to play till the last ball. It would be more effective to get 10-12 more runs. They are very young and can't make decisions sometimes so we wanted to help them. Fahima did really well but if we got some support from Rabeya and Nahida – our main bowlers, maybe we would have some chance."

England Women (ENG-W) will face Bangladesh Women (BAN-W) in Match No. 8 of the ICC Women’s  World Cup 2025 will take place at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday, October 7, at 3:00 PM IST. Both teams come into this encounter off the back of confidence-boosting wins in their opening fixtures. England Women defeated South Africa at a canter by 10 wickets, while Bangladesh Women beat Pakistan by seven wickets in their first match. 

Both teams are currently in third and fourth place in the points table, separated by Net Run Rate, it promises to be an exciting tournament as both teams will be seeking to extend their winning forms and enhance their chances of qualification for the semi-finals. England and Bangladesh have only played one previous One-Day International against each other, which the England team won by 100 runs.

ENG-W vs BAN-W: Head-to-Head Record (ODIs)

England dominate the head-to-head record, having won their only previous encounter.

• Matches Played: 1
• ENG-W Won: 1
• BAN-W Won: 0
• No Result: 0

ENG-W vs BAN-W: Stadium Stats (ODIs)

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati generally offers balanced conditions, assisting both batters and bowlers at different stages of the game.

• Total Matches: 5
• Matches won batting first: 2
• Matches won bowling first: 3
• Average 1st Innings Score: 216
• Average 2nd Innings Score: 193
• Highest Total: 373/7 (50 overs) by IND vs SL
• Lowest Total: 50/10 (30.4 overs) by ENG-W vs IND-W
• Highest Successful Chase: 326/2 (42.1 overs) by IND vs WI
• Lowest Total Defended: 269/8 (47 overs) by IND-W vs SL-W

See Also: Top 3 reasons why New Zealand-W lost to South Africa-W in the Women's World Cup 2025 match 7

ENG-W vs BAN-W: Predicted Playing XIs

England Women (ENG-W): Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (WK), Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (C), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlotte Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell.

Bangladesh Women (BAN-W): Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana (WK/C), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Nahida Akter, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Nishita Akter Nishi.

Women’s World Cup 2025: Points Table

After the completion of seven matches, the points table looks like this.

England Women began their Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign with a massive win against South Africa Women in Match 4 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. England won the game by 10 wickets after bowling South Africa out for only 69 runs in 20.4 overs.

South Africa started with a couple of early boundaries but collapsed quickly. Linsey Smith bowled a wicket maiden in her first over and struck again in her second. By the sixth over, South Africa had already lost four wickets. Nat Sciver-Brunt then dismissed Anneke Bosch and later bowled out Sinalo Jafta, who top-scored with 22 runs. None of the other batters could stay long, and the innings ended cheaply. 

In reply. England's innings was seamless and simple. Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones played assuredly and continued to accumulate runs at a comfortable score. By the 13th over, they were just a hit away, and Beaumont secured the win with a four in the 15th over.

ENG-W vs SA-W: Who Said What?

Linsey Smith (Player of the Match):

"Yeah, obviously, delighted with how we went. The start was special. But great to get the win. Yesterday, Lottie spoke with me and told me that I will open the bowling. The conditions favored me. I think just backing myself and not overcomplicate. Attack the stumps and it worked today. There is a huge talent in this squad. Everyone is pushing to get a place. We are pushing ourselves every day to get better and we keep learning."

See Also: Top 3 reasons why South Africa-W lost to England-W in Women's World Cup 2025 match 4

Nat Sciver-Brunt (England Women Captain):

"Massively pleased. It just seemed like everyone were really charged up on the field. It's a captain’s dream as we bowled really well and also managed to pick wickets at regular intervals. (On Linsey Smith) She just stuck to her strength I think. She is a left-arm spinner but she can swing the ball. We knew that she was a really good matchup to those two batters (SA openers), who obviously scored a lot of runs leading up to this tournament. So, it was important for us to break that partnership early. (On the spinners) Yeah, absolutely and Sarah Glenn is on the bench as well. We are really blessed to have so many talented cricketers in our squad which obviously makes team selection very difficult."

Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa Women Captain):

"Yeah, certainly not the way we wanted to start the tournament. Not the best effort with the bat. I think this team has shown resilience in the past. We will put this behind and move forward. Obviously, they bowled well with the new ball. Linsey bowled well. We didn't expect that much swing. Could have played straighter. We found that she (Ayabonga Khaka) can be effective for us in the middle overs. So, decided to get the spin early and see how it worked. I think just keep trusting what we have done in the past. We have a good form and a good coaching staff as well. In these types of tournaments, you got to have short memory and move forward."

England Women began their campaign in the 2025 ICC Women's World Cup with a convincing victory against South Africa Women in match 4 at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, Assam, on October 3. Winning the toss, England chose to bowl first, and their bowlers made a great start. South Africa’s batters struggled badly and were all out for just 69 runs in 20.4 overs, their second-lowest total in a Women’s ODI World Cup. Sinalo Jafta was the only player to fight a little, scoring 22 runs.

Chasing a small score of 70, England’s openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont made it look very easy. They stayed unbeaten and finished the chase in only 14.1 overs. Jones scored 40 not out, while Beaumont added 21 not out. With this, England won by 10 wickets and sent a strong message at the start of their campaign. Below are the main reasons for the South Africa Women defeat:

1. Batting Collapse Against Swing Bowling

South Africa’s batting collapsed right from the beginning. England’s bowlers, especially Lauren Bell with pace and Linsey Smith with swing, created big problems. Both openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, were out for 5 runs each. By the sixth over, South Africa was already in trouble at 19/4. After that, six batters were bowled out by scoring only single digits, indicating that they simply had no answers to the moving ball. 

2. Linsey Smith’s Dream Debut

Playing her first World Cup match, Linsey Smith was the star of the day. The left-arm spinner took 3 wickets for just 7 runs in 4 overs. She dismissed Wolvaardt, Brits, and Marizanne Kapp and exposed the fragile state of South Africa's batting. Her bowling spell ensured England never came out of cruise control.

See Also: Kapil Dev weighs in: Could 1983 World Cup heroes beat India’s 2025 Asia Cup T20 champions?

3. Strong Bowling as a Team

England’s bowling was not about one player alone. Nat Sciver-Brunt took 2 wickets for 5 runs, while Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean grabbed two wickets each. Their tight bowling did not allow South Africa to score freely and bowled them out for only 69 runs.

Match 4 of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 will see England Women (ENG-W) take on South Africa Women (SA-W) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Friday, October 3, at 3:00 PM IST. This match will be the first game for both sides in their campaign, making it a critical first fixture.

England comes into the match as slight favorites, they won their last two matches against South Africa and three out of the last five ODIs overall. Even after losing their last warm-up match to India by a narrow 13-runs, the team is well-balanced and will be keen to get off to a good start.

South Africa should not be underestimated. They come into the match after a close win against Pakistan, but they are on a four-match winning streak regardless. With experienced names such as Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon, the Proteas will formulate a plan against England and aim for a winnable start to their campaign.

ENG-W vs SA-W: Head-to-Head Record (ODIs)

England Women have enjoyed a dominant record over South Africa Women in ODIs.

• Matches Played: 46
• England W Won: 35
• South Africa W Won: 10
• No Result: 1

ENG-W vs SA-W: Stadium Stats (ODIs)

The Barsapara surface has seen a mix of high-scoring games and collapses, with chasing teams and defending sides sharing equal success.

• Total matches: 4
• Matches won batting first: 2
• Matches won bowling first: 2
• Average score for the first innings: 253
• Average score for the second innings: 223
• Highest total: 373/7 (50 overs) by IND vs SL
• Lowest total: 50/10 (30.4 overs) by ENG-W vs IND-W
• Highest successful run chase: 326/2 (42.1 overs) by IND vs WI
• Lowest total defended: 373/7 (50 overs) by IND vs SL

See Also: Top 3 reasons why Pakistan-W lost to Bangladesh-W in the Women's World Cup 2025 match 3

ENG-W vs SA-W: Predicted Playing XIs

England Women (ENG-W): Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell

South Africa Women (SA-W): Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt (c), Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Nondumiso Shangase, Karabo Meso (wk), Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune

Women’s World Cup 2025: Points Table

After the completion of three matches, the points table looks like this.

The 2025 Women's World Cup will feature warm-up matches for all participating teams before the official tournament begins. These preparatory games will start on September 25 and continue until September 28. The official World Cup matches will kick off on September 30, with co-hosts India Women taking on Sri Lanka Women in the opening encounter.

In total, eight warm-up matches are scheduled, spread across four venues, allowing nine teams to get valuable practice ahead of the main event. These matches will give players a chance to settle into conditions, test team combinations, and build momentum before the tournament proper.

Fans can look forward to seeing all the squads in action as teams fine-tune their strategies. From venue details to key squad updates, these warm-up fixtures will set the tone for an exciting ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.

See Also: IND vs WI 2025: Jasprit Bumrah available for both Tests, confirms Ajit Agarkar

ICC Women’s World Cup Warm-Up Match 2025: Venue Details and Time of IND-W vs ENG-W:

The schedule for the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup warm-up matches has been announced. All teams will play two games each, except Australia Women, who are scheduled for just one match.

Four venues across India and Sri Lanka will host the matches. In Bengaluru, the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence Grounds A and B will be used, while in Colombo, the R. Premadasa Stadium and Colombo Cricket Club Ground will host the fixtures. These venues will see teams preparing ahead of the main tournament starting on September 30.

Match 4 of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 warm-ups features India Women facing England Women on Thursday, September 25, at 3:00 PM (IST). The game will be held at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground A in Bengaluru, marking an important preparation for both teams ahead of the tournament.

How to watch ICC Women's World Cup 2025 warm-up matches live?

The 2025 ICC Women's World Cup warm-up matches will be available for live streaming on JioHotstar’s app and website. Fans in India can also catch the matches live on TV via the Star Sports Network channels.

Squads of IND-W vs ENG-W:

• India Women

Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy, Pratika Rawal, Amanjot Kaur, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Gaud

• England Women

Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Amy Jones, Linsey Smith, Tammy Beaumont, Em Arlott, Charlotte Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Filer, Emma Lamb