England Fans Rejoice as Sciver-Brunt Creates History with Fifth World Cup Century

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt etched her name deeper into women's cricket history with a sublime run-a-ball 117, her fifth century in the ICC Women's World Cup, guiding the defending champions to a formidable 253 for nine against hosts Sri Lanka in a crucial group-stage clash at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium. The 32-year-old all-rounder's knock, laced with 12 boundaries and three sixes, surpassed the previous record of four centuries jointly held by Australia's Meg Lanning and Belinda Clark, underscoring her dominance in the 50-over format since the tournament's inception in 1973.

Sciver-Brunt's previous tonnes came in the 2017 and 2022 editions, where she claimed Player of the Tournament honours in the latter, helping England lift the trophy after a 12-year drought. Sent in to bat on a pitch offering variable bounce under overcast skies, England endured an early wobble but rebuilt through Sciver-Brunt's resilience, setting Sri Lanka a challenging target in their quest for a maiden tournament victory.

The innings began steadily with openers Tammy Beaumont (32 off 29) and Heather Knight (29 off 47) laying a 58-run stand before veteran left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera struck, claiming Beaumont and Knight in quick succession to leave England at 58 for two. Sciver-Brunt, dropped on three by Harshitha Samarawickrama at slip off Achini Kulasuriya—a costly error that Sri Lanka would rue—anchored the recovery, adding 52 for the third wicket with Sophia Dunkley (18 off 32) and 40 for the fourth with Emma Lamb (12 off 20).

Alice Capsey's aggressive 25 off 22 injected momentum, but Ranaweera's guile dismantled the middle order, removing Capsey, Dunkley, and Lamb to reach 171 for six in the 37th over. Charlotte Dean (14 off 18) and Sophie Ecclestone (8 off 12) provided fleeting support, but it was Sciver-Brunt who unleashed in the death overs, plundering 82 runs off the final 10, including three fours in the last over from Udeshika Prabodhani, despite two more fielding lapses.

Ranaweera starred with 3 for 33 in her 10 overs, her wily variations exploiting the conditions better than Sri Lanka's pace attack, led by Kaveesha Dilhari (2 for 45). Chamari Athapaththu's part-time spin accounted for one, but questionable field placements in the slog overs allowed Sciver-Brunt freedom, as noted by commentators who highlighted Sri Lanka's fielding woes—four drops in total—that inflated England's total. Lauren Bell (5 off 8) and Linsey Smith (5 off 4) fell in the closing stages, but the skipper's masterclass ensured a competitive score, surpassing 250 despite losing eight wickets.

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This encounter marks England's third group fixture in the 2025 Women's World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India, where the top four advance to semi-finals in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. England, fresh off victories over Bangladesh and South Africa, eyes a hat-trick to cement semi-final hopes, while Sri Lanka, winless after defeats to India and a washout against Australia, faces mounting pressure under Athapaththu's leadership.

Sciver-Brunt's form—averaging 68.5 in World Cups with 844 runs—positions her as a frontrunner for Player of the Tournament, blending technique with temperament on a surface favouring spin. As Sri Lanka begin their chase under lights, England's seamers, including Ecclestone's left-arm wizardry, loom large, promising a tactical battle in humid Colombo conditions.

Brief Scores: England Women 253/9 in 50 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 117, Alice Capsey 25; Inoka Ranaweera 3/33, Kaveesha Dilhari 2/45). Sri Lanka Women require 254 to win.

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