Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women 1st ODI: Gull Feroza and Sidra Amin lead visitors to five-wicket win

By Kartik Sharma | Data Analyst & Reporter (KS)

5 wickets. That's the margin by which Pakistan Women defeated Sri Lanka Women in the opening ODI of the three-match ICC Women's Championship series at Hambantota on Thursday. Chasing 211, Pakistan reached 211 for 5 in just 43 overs as Gull Feroza and Sidra Amin produced another composed opening-day statement for Fatima Sana's side.

The victory gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the series and extends their winning run in the ICC Women's Championship to five consecutive ODIs. Sri Lanka posted 210 for 9 after choosing to bat, but Pakistan's experienced top order ensured the target never became daunting. 

Gull and Sidra seize control of the chase

Pakistan's pursuit began positively as Gull Feroza and Sadaf Shamas added 58 for the opening wicket inside 10 overs. Shamas departed for 20, but the breakthrough did little to slow the chase.

Gull continued her impressive form, compiling 78 while rotating strike effectively and punishing loose deliveries. Alongside Sidra Amin, who made 57, she stitched together the decisive partnership that shifted the contest firmly towards Pakistan. Their stand kept the required rate comfortably under control before Sri Lanka briefly fought back with middle-order wickets.

Even then, Pakistan stayed ahead of the game. Ayesha Zafar's unbeaten 27 ensured there were no late nerves, while captain Fatima Sana finished the chase with 42 balls remaining.

"Gull Feroza continued her impressive run with a fourth consecutive fifty-plus score."

Pakistan's disciplined bowling laid the platform

Earlier, Sri Lanka struggled to convert several promising starts into a match-winning total.

Chamari Athapaththu struck 46, Nilakshi de Silva remained unbeaten on 46, while Hasini Perera and Kavisha Dilhari contributed 35 each. Yet none reached a half-century as Pakistan's bowlers consistently broke partnerships.

Nashra Sandhu delivered the standout spell, claiming 3 for 42 from her 10 overs. Tasmia Rubab supported with 2 for 34, while Umm-e-Hani, Syeda Aroob Shah and Fatima Sana collected one wicket apiece.

A notable passage came during the closing overs. Pakistan conceded only 32 runs across the final seven overs, preventing Sri Lanka from pushing beyond 220 — a difference that ultimately proved significant.

Performance comparison

  • Pakistan: 211/5 in 43 overs (42 balls remaining)
  • Sri Lanka: 210/9 in 50 overs
  • Winning partnership: Gull Feroza and Sidra Amin steadied the chase after the first wicket.
  • Bowling edge: Nashra Sandhu's 3/42 restricted Sri Lanka despite four batters passing 35. 
    • Gull's innings also continued an impressive streak. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, this was her fourth successive fifty-plus score, highlighting her growing consistency at the top of the order.

    STATS

    Final ScoreSri Lanka Women 210/9 (50 overs); Pakistan Women 211/5 (43 overs)
    VenueMahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota
    CompetitionICC Women's Championship 2025-29 – 1st ODI
    Gull FerozaPlayer of the Match

    What the result means for the series

    Pakistan now lead the three-match ODI series 1-0 and remain among the leading teams in the ICC Women's Championship standings after recording a fifth consecutive victory in the competition. Sri Lanka must win the second ODI in Hambantota to keep the series alive.

    The second ODI is scheduled for 25 July at the same venue before the teams conclude the ODI leg on 28 July. Pakistan will look to seal the series, while Sri Lanka need a stronger finish with the bat after several starts failed to become match-defining innings. The next question is straightforward: can Pakistan stretch their winning streak to six ICC Women's Championship victories?