Sri Lanka (w)
Australia (w)
The fifth match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 is set for Saturday at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where Sri Lanka Women will take on the formidable Australia Women.
Sri Lanka comes into this clash after a 59-run defeat to India in their opener, and skipper Chamari Athapaththu will be looking for a stronger response from her team against one of the tournament favourites.
Australia, meanwhile, began their campaign in commanding fashion with an 89-run victory over New Zealand, powered by standout displays from Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Molineux, and Annabel Sutherland.
With a perfect record of four World Cup wins against Sri Lanka, the Aussies enter the contest with both confidence and momentum on their side, while the hosts aim to defy history in front of their home crowd.
Sophie Molineux’s left-arm spin could be effective on Colombo’s surface.
The betting tip is...
Top Bowler (Australia)
71 %
29 %
Sri Lanka will once again rely heavily on their batting core, led by captain Chamari Athapaththu. She will be supported by Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Nilakshi de Silva to provide stability and run through the order.
Athapaththu showed her intent in the opening clash with a brisk 43 off 47 balls, while Nilakshi de Silva added a valuable 35 off 29 deliveries, keeping the innings alive with aggressive stroke play.
With the ball, the home side will turn to the experienced trio of Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhani, and Achini Kulasuriya, alongside Sugandika Kumari and Athapaththu’s part-time spells, to deliver key breakthroughs.
Ranaweera was the standout against India, returning figures of 4 for 43, while Prabodhani chipped in with two wickets despite being on the expensive side.
Their ability to strike consistently will be crucial if Sri Lanka is to challenge the dominant Australians.
Predicted Lineup: 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
Australia will bank on their seasoned batting unit to set the tone once again, with Alyssa Healy, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, and Ashleigh Gardner expected to shoulder the scoring responsibilities.
Gardner led the way in their opening game against New Zealand with a superb 115 off just 83 deliveries, striking 16 fours and a six. Litchfield’s quickfire 45 and Kim Garth’s steady 38 also provided important contributions, highlighting the depth in their lineup.
With the ball, Australia boast a balanced attack featuring Kim Garth, Darcie Brown, Alana King, Annabel Sutherland, and Sophie Molineux. The spin duo of Molineux and King played a key role in the opener, with Molineux grabbing three wickets and King chipping in with two.
Sutherland also impressed with her pace, matching Molineux’s three-wicket haul. This combination of firepower and variety makes Australia a tough unit to break down.
Australia will be going with the strongest playing XI.
Predicted Lineup: Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Darcie Brown
Australia look too strong on paper with their explosive batting and well-rounded bowling attack, and given their unbeaten World Cup record against Sri Lanka, they head into this clash as clear favourites.
While Chamari Athapaththu’s side will hope for a spirited fight at home, expect Australia’s depth and balance to secure them another comfortable win.
