**Women’s World Cup: Can Sri Lanka Challenge Mighty Australia?**
*By Rajdeep Saha | October 3, 2025, 7:18 PM*
The 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup is heating up as Australia and Sri Lanka prepare to face off on October 4 in Colombo. Australia has been in spectacular form, especially following their dominating victory over New Zealand in the tournament opener. They will be aiming for another commanding win, knowing that only a complete performance will suffice against their opponents.
### Match Preparation: Sri Lanka Need to Tighten Up
Sri Lanka showed promise in their opening match against India. They had the hosts struggling at 124 for six but allowed them back into the game by dropping four catches. As they gear up to face the defending champions, execution and consistency will be key for Sri Lanka if they want to showcase their best and potentially cause an upset.
### Home Advantage: Support Could Make a Difference
Sri Lanka will be counting on the advantage of home support, as free entry has been granted to the stadium for this match. The team is also highly familiar with the Khettarama pitch, given that their national players train regularly at the high-performance center located there. Although Sri Lanka has yet to beat Australia in an ODI, these conditions could play a pivotal role in leveling the playing field.
### Player Spotlight: All Eyes on Gardner and Gunaratne
Ashleigh Gardner has been a standout performer for Australia’s lower middle order. Her explosive 115 off 83 balls against New Zealand not only demonstrated her resilience but also reflected the strong aura of the Australian squad.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne, who scored her maiden ODI hundred against Ireland in August 2024, has struggled to regain form since. The Lankan side will be hoping she can find her rhythm once again for this crucial clash with Australia.
### Pitch Report and Weather Forecast
The pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium is generally known to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. However, recent preparations have made it more batting-friendly. Weather-wise, there is a significant chance of rain in Colombo throughout the afternoon, which could influence playing conditions and the match outcome.
### Head-to-Head Record and Points Table
Australia currently holds a perfect record against Sri Lanka women in ODIs, having won all 11 encounters. In the 2025 World Cup points table, Australia are placed second, just behind England based on net run rate.
### Key Stats to Watch
– **Ashleigh Gardner** is nearing 1,500 WODI runs, currently holding 1,441 at an average of 30.65, with two centuries and seven fifties.
– **Ellyse Perry**, who scored 33 in Australia’s opener against New Zealand, boasts 4,362 runs from 159 matches (132 innings) at an average exceeding 49.
– **Sophie Molineux** impressed with a three-wicket haul against New Zealand and has taken 26 WODI wickets at an average of 13+.
– **Chamari Athapaththu**, Sri Lanka’s captain and top scorer against India, has accumulated 3,921 runs from 116 WODIs at an average of 35.31.
### Probable Playing XIs
**Australia:**
Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Kim Garth, Alana King, Darcie Brown.
**Sri Lanka:**
Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Nilakshika Silva, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani.
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As the clash approaches, all eyes will be on whether Sri Lanka can leverage their home advantage and rising talents to upset the mighty Australians in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/aus-women-vs-sl-women-odi-world-cup-match-preview/story
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