New Zealand Elect to Bowl as Pakistan Fight to Avoid Early Exit

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine won the toss and chose to bowl first against Pakistan in a must-win Women’s World Cup 2025 match at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The decision seems to be in favour of New Zealand due to the seam conditions that can give them early breakthroughs similar to Pak vs Eng match. 

“We saw a bit of movement here during the England vs Pakistan match. The pitch is offering something early, and we want to make the most of that,” Devine said at the toss. New Zealand, placed 5th on the table, made one change with Lea Tahuhu returning to the playing XI in place of left-arm Bree Illing. This change would give NZ an additional advantage. 

Pakistan, meanwhile, has not been effective in this tournament. Winless in the tournament with four straight defeats, they fielded an unchanged side in what is now a virtual knockout for them. Captain Fatima Sana acknowledged this, but also backed her squad to deliver a turnaround performance.

“A total above 250 would be competitive on this pitch,” she said. “We believe that we can beat New Zealand today and get our 1st win of the tournament. We just need to execute better with the bat.”

Pakistan’s batting has been in the spotlight due to their worst performance in this World Cup. Pakistani fans are really frustrated about their performance with both bat and ball. Their 114, 159, and 129 in previous matches are not what fans expected from this team. 

The middle order has struggled for partnerships, while poor shot selection has repeatedly cost them momentum. Sana emphasized the need for discipline, saying, “We’ve spoken a lot about intent and responsibility. Today is about staying calm under pressure.”

Conditions in Colombo are moist with humidity around 71%. The pitch has 57 m and 60 m square boundaries. This would give batters an advantage, but early movement under cloud will test both opening pairs.

A Pakistan defeat would confirm their exit from the tournament, while a win for New Zealand would keep their semifinal hopes alive. With both teams desperate for points, the match promises intensity from the very first ball.

New Zealand Playing XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson, Lea Tahuhu

Pakistan Playing XI: Omaima Sohail, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin, Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Fatima Sana (c), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal