Sri Lanka Women face a daunting challenge as they take on unbeaten Australia in their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 showdown at the R. Premadasa Stadium. With Chamari Athapaththu leading the charge, the hosts look to rewrite history against the six-time champions.
Sri Lanka Women enter their second ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 fixture with determination and a point to prove. After a spirited yet inconsistent display in their opener against India, the hosts now face the toughest opponent of all—the mighty Australians, who remain unbeaten against Sri Lanka in women’s One-Day Internationals.
Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka’s inspirational captain and star batter, carries the weight of expectation on her shoulders. Her unforgettable 178* against Australia in 2017 remains etched in cricketing history, and the home crowd will be hoping for a similar masterclass on Saturday in Colombo. Alongside her, young talents such as Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Kavisha Dilhari will need to deliver runs to avoid a repeat of the batting collapse that saw nine players get starts but fail to convert against India.
Fielding, too, will be under the microscope after Sri Lanka’s missed chances proved costly in their first outing. Coach and captain alike have stressed the importance of discipline and composure in the high-pressure moments that often define matches against world champions.
Australia, meanwhile, look as formidable as ever. The defending champions opened their campaign with a commanding win over New Zealand, underpinned by Ashleigh Gardner’s century and Annabel Sutherland’s sharp bowling. With Alyssa Healy at the helm, supported by match-winners like Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, and Megan Schutt, Australia arrive in Colombo brimming with confidence and depth across all departments.
The head-to-head record tells its own story: 11 matches, 11 wins for Australia. This streak adds pressure but also motivation for Sri Lanka, who will be desperate to etch their first victory into the history books.
While Australia’s batting and bowling firepower make them favorites, Sri Lanka have the advantage of home conditions and the passionate support of their fans. If Athapaththu can anchor the innings and the bowlers replicate their disciplined spells against India, an upset is not beyond imagination.
With pride, history, and momentum on the line, the clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium promises to be a defining test of Sri Lanka’s resilience and ambition against the best team in women’s cricket.
