Pakistan need 113 in 31 overs to topple England in rain-hit game

A devastating opening spell by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana threatened England who were asked to defend a meagre target during a rain-affected World Cup encounter in Colombo.

Sana extracted breathtaking seam movement off a pitch that later retreated under cover for nearly four hours as heavy rain pelted the R. Premadasa Stadium. But, unlike Tuesday's game which was washed out before New Zealand could challenge Sri Lanka's total of 258 for 6 from 50 overs, play resumed with the match reduced to 31 overs per side and Pakistan set a revised target of 113.

England, unbeaten heading into the match, were without their spin and seam-bowling spearheads when Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell were ruled out through illness, replaced by legspinner Sarah Glenn and seamer Em Arlott.

But it was their misfiring batting line-up that came unstuck. Only Nat Sciver-Brunt, with a century in the previous match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, and Heather Knight's gritty 79 not out which rescued England from the threat of an upset at the hands of Bangladesh had been in the runs since England chased down a paltry target of 70 without loss in their opening game with South Africa.

And it fell to the eighth-wicket pair of Charlie Dean and Arlott to manufacture a target with a 47-run partnership off 41 balls which took England to 133 for 9 after they had slumped to 78 for 7.

Arlott, who had impressed England head coach Charlotte Edwards with a century at the start of the domestic season and went on to make her international debut during the English summer, was run out for 18 off 23 balls in the penultimate over while Dean expertly picked gaps in the field to top score with 33 before she gave Sana her fourth wicket, scooping to Omaima at short fine leg.

Openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones continued to struggle and both departed inside the first three overs of the match.

Beaumont was off the mark via a free hit through the covers for four after Diana Baig had overstepped but Baig responded two balls later with a dazzling nip-backer that clipped the off bail. So far at this World Cup, Beaumont has scored 21 not out against South Africa followed by 13, 32 and 4.

Jones, meanwhile, helped herself to two fours off Sana's first over before the latter produced a superb nip-backer which clattered into the top of middle and off, Jones departing for a second single-figure score in three innings.

Knight, who had three dismissals overturned against Bangladesh, challenged an lbw decision in Sana 's next over and replays showed the ball was missing down the leg side. She also survived a hopeful Pakistan review for lbw two balls later when the ball was tracking outside off.

But Sana's biggest and best wicket was arguably that of Sciver-Brunt, done by yet another one that nipped back off the seam as she shaped to cut only for the ball to slide under her glove and into the stumps.

Knight tried her luck once more when she was rapped on the pad by Sana but, with the ball on target to hit the top of leg, England were left floundering at 39 for 4.

With three wickets for 19 runs from five overs, Sana walked from the field at the start of the 10th looking unwell but Sadia Iqbal picked up where she left off, this time chiming in for the spinners when she bowled an out-of-sorts Emma Lamb, sitting back in her crease to an arm ball that dipped and slid through her defences. Lamb had entered the World Cup in great form with half-centuries in warm-up games against India and Australia but she is another England batter yet to reach 20 at this tournament.

Likewise Sophia Dunkley, who was removed for 11 via a successful Pakistan review when she was struck on the pad attempting to sweep with the ball honing in on leg stump as Sadia celebrated her second wicket and England lurched to 57 for 6 in the 12th over.

Sana returned to the field a short time later and she could only watch with disappointment as Alice Capsey, on 8, swept Rameen Shamim's first delivery, a low full toss, straight to square leg where Muneeba Ali shelled a simple chance. But Shamim removed Capsey for 16 when she pinned her on the pad attempting to sweep shortly before heavy rain halted play with England 79 for 7 after 25 overs.

After a stoppage of around three hours and 45 minutes, play resumed with England needing to bat out another six overs, during which time they added 54 runs thanks largely to Arlott and Dean.