Pakistan’s women’s cricket team delivered a composed all-round performance in Hambantota on Thursday, defeating Sri Lanka by five wickets in the first ODI of their five-match series. The victory at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium not only extended Pakistan’s winning streak in the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29 but also moved them to second place on the points table, trailing only New Zealand. Main Developments Chasing 211 for victory, Pakistan reached the target in 43 overs with 42 balls to spare. Opener Gull Feroza anchored the innings with a fluent 78 off 77 balls, while Sidra Amin contributed a steady 57 off 94 deliveries. Their 90-run partnership for the second wicket proved decisive after an opening stand of 58 between Gull and Sadaf Shamas. Gull, named player of the match, registered her fourth consecutive ODI half-century, reaching the milestone from 47 balls. She struck 11 fours before being dismissed leg-before by Kavisha Dilhari. Sidra reached her fifty from 84 balls and added 36 with Ayesha Zafar before being bowled by Inoka Ranaweera. Ayesha remained unbeaten on 27, and captain Fatima Sana hit the winning boundary. Read also: 4 Milestones in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Record-Breaking 50 Against Zimbabwe Sri Lanka’s innings followed a promising start, with Vishmi Gunaratne and captain Chamari Athapaththu putting on 56 for the opening wicket. Gunaratne made 28 before being caught off Nashra Sandhu in the 12th over. Athapaththu added 53 with Hasini Perera before Nashra bowled the Sri Lankan skipper for 46 off 67 balls. The hosts were 109-2 at that stage but lost five wickets for 32 runs in the final seven overs, finishing on 210-9. Nashra finished with 3-42, while left-arm pacer Tasmia Rubab took 2-34. Background This series marks Pakistan’s first bilateral ODI assignment in Sri Lanka since the 2023 ICC Women’s Championship cycle. Both teams are competing in the 2025-29 edition of the championship, which serves as a direct qualification pathway for the next Women’s Cricket World Cup. Pakistan entered the series on a four-match winning streak in the championship, a run that now stands at five. Sri Lanka, led by the experienced Chamari Athapaththu, had shown early promise in the match through aggressive batting, but their middle-order collapse exposed a recurring vulnerability against disciplined bowling. Pakistan’s bowling unit, led by left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu, has been a consistent strength in recent outings, often compensating for an occasionally fragile batting lineup. Why It Matters Every win in the ICC Women’s Championship carries significant weight, as only the top four teams at the end of the cycle secure automatic qualification for the World Cup. Pakistan’s climb to second place—behind New Zealand—strengthens their position in the standings and builds momentum early in the cycle. For Sri Lanka, the loss at home represents a missed opportunity to collect valuable points on familiar pitches. The series also provides a platform for emerging players like Gull Feroza, whose consistent half-century form suggests growing maturity in the batting order. Her ability to accelerate after settling in, combined with Sidra’s anchor role, gives Pakistan a balanced top order that can chase moderate totals with confidence. What's Next The second ODI will be played at the same venue on Saturday, with Pakistan aiming to extend their winning run and secure the series. Gull acknowledged the importance of maintaining momentum: “These are important Championship points for us and we will try to finish the series 3-0 so that we can get the points as well as the trophy.” Sri Lanka will need to address their batting collapse and find ways to break Pakistan’s opening partnerships if they hope to level the series.