Beth Mooney’s Century and Garth’s Spell Power Australia to 107-Run Win Over Pakistan

The ninth match of the ICC Women’s World Cup unfolded on October 8, 2025, at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium, where Australia Women faced Pakistan Women in a contest that captured the essence of high-stakes cricket. The slow, turning pitch played a starring role, favoring bowlers and testing batters’ patience. Pakistan’s choice to field first after winning the toss ignited an early dominance, but Australia’s lower order mounted a spirited fightback. In the end, Australia’s bowlers sealed a 107-run triumph, blending seam and spin to perfection.

Australia Women’s Innings

Pakistan’s decision to bowl first aligned perfectly with the conditions, a pitch that gripped and turned, making strokeplay a gamble. Australia’s openers, Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield, stepped up knowing the powerplay would set the tone. Healy, the dynamic leader, wasted no time, lashing three boundaries in her 20 off 23 balls to inject early momentum. Her approach was bold, aiming to unsettle Pakistan’s attack, but Sadia Iqbal’s crafty left-arm spin disrupted the plan. In the seventh over, Iqbal drew an edge from Healy, safely pouched by Diana Baig, as Australia slipped to 30 for 1 after 6.6 overs. The dismissal shifted the momentum, exposing the pitch’s challenges.

Grit. Determination. Ridiculously high level of skill.

A Beth Mooney masterclass! 💯 #CWC25 pic.twitter.com/hOSndlqdHl

— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) October 8, 2025

Litchfield, playing the foil with a measured style, eked out 10 runs off 22 balls, including one boundary, focusing on survival amid the spin. Yet, her vigilance couldn’t prevent a stunning intervention from Fatima Sana, Pakistan’s skipper, who clung onto a sharp caught-and-bowled in the eighth over. Australia were now 30 for 2 in 7.3 overs, and the middle order faced mounting pressure on a surface that rewarded patience and punished aggression.

Ellyse Perry, drawing on years of experience, entered at number three but found the going tough. The ball was biting into the pitch, turning sharply, and Perry’s 5 off 11 balls reflected her struggle to rotate the strike. Nashra Sandhu, Pakistan’s spin ace, capitalized with a clever delivery that lured Perry forward, only for Sidra Nawaz to complete a smart stumping in the 12.5 over. At 55 for 3, Australia’s innings was unraveling, and Pakistan’s bowlers sensed vulnerability.

Beth Mooney walked in at number four, shouldering the responsibility to rebuild. The wickets continued to tumble, however. Annabel Sutherland, elevated in the lineup, faced just five balls before falling for a duck to Sandhu’s persistent spin. Ashleigh Gardner, known for her explosive potential, managed a solitary run before Rameen Shamim’s variations trapped her, with Sana taking the catch. By the 15.2-over mark, Australia had slumped to 60 for 5, their top order shredded and the spinners dictating terms.

Tahlia McGrath attempted to stabilize, grinding out 5 runs off 20 balls in a display of determination, but Sandhu struck again, inducing a catch to Baig in the 20.3 over. Australia were 75 for 6, and the collapse intensified when Georgia Wareham departed for a golden duck, caught-and-bowled by Shamim in the following over. At 76 for 7 after 21.2 overs, the situation looked dire. Pakistan’s spinners, particularly Sandhu with her 3 for 37 across 10 overs, had engineered a masterclass, exploiting every bit of turn and bounce.

Kim Garth partnered with Mooney in a bid to arrest the slide. Their alliance was methodical, with Garth contributing 11 off 47 balls in a supporting role, focusing on defense while Mooney orchestrated the recovery. Progress was gradual, but Garth’s dismissal, stumped by Nawaz off Baig in the 33.5 over, left Australia at 115 for 8. The innings hung by a thread, yet Mooney’s composure never wavered.

The resurgence arrived with Alana King at number 10. King injected vitality, striking three boundaries and three sixes in an unbeaten 51 off 49 balls, transforming the lower order’s role. Her partnership with Mooney yielded 106 runs for the ninth wicket, a lifeline that dragged Australia from the abyss. Mooney’s contribution was exemplary, 109 off 114 balls, featuring 11 fours and a strike rate of 95.61. She navigated the spin barrage with soft hands, defending resolutely while punishing loose deliveries, her half-century a testament to endurance on a demanding surface.

As wickets fell around her, Beth Mooney stood tall with one of the great ODI World Cup knocks. #CWC25 pic.twitter.com/pGIq846YhO

— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) October 8, 2025

Mooney’s vigil ended in the final over, caught by Sadaf Shamas off Sana, but Australia posted 221 for 9 in 50 overs. Extras added 8 runs, all wides, underscoring the bowlers’ discipline, while the overall run rate of 4.42 mirrored the pitch’s stinginess. Pakistan’s assault was spearheaded by Sandhu’s economical 3 for 37, with Sana and Shamim each securing 2 wickets. Baig proved expensive at 1 for 74 over 10 overs, and Iqbal took 1 for 32. Mooney’s century, bolstered by King’s flair, provided a platform to defend, securing her the Player of the Match for a knock that embodied resilience.

Pakistan Women’s Batting

Pakistan’s pursuit of 222 demanded composure, but Australia’s bowlers, fresh from their batting ordeal, unleashed a barrage that shattered any hopes of stability. Sadaf Shamas opened positively with a boundary but perished for 5 off 10 balls in the 2.4 over, caught by Healy off Kim Garth following an upheld DRS review. At 8 for 1, the chase faced immediate hurdles. Muneeba Ali joined but faltered, scoring 3 off 12 balls before Megan Schutt’s seam found the edge, caught by Annabel Sutherland in the 5.3 over. Pakistan reached 24 for 2, with the required rate already escalating.

Australia slipped to 76/7 in 21.2 overs – Pakistan lose their seventh on 78 after 21.2 overs 🤯

🔗 https://t.co/xW3qaCp7uU | #CWC25 pic.twitter.com/Thq9iZulah

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 8, 2025

Sidra Nawaz injected brief aggression, striking a boundary in her 5 off 5 balls, but Garth returned to dismiss her, caught by Healy in the 6.3 over. At 29 for 3, Pakistan’s foundation was crumbling. Natalia Pervaiz managed 1 off 6 balls before Schutt claimed her, caught by Mooney in the 7.4 over, extending the damage to 30 for 4. Eyman Fatima’s arrival was short-lived, a golden duck, bowled by Garth in the 8.4 over, leaving Pakistan at 31 for 5. Garth’s spell, 3 for 14 in 6 overs, was impeccable, her lines unerring on the slow track.

Fatima Sana, leading by example, countered with two boundaries in her 11 off 12 balls, but Sutherland intervened, bowling her in the 12.4 over amid the drinks interval, with Pakistan at 49 for 6. Sidra Amin provided the sole resistance, compiling 35 off 52 balls with five boundaries, anchoring amid chaos. Her effort ended in the 21.2 over, caught by Sutherland off Ashleigh Gardner’s spin, pushing Pakistan to 78 for 7. Diana Baig’s cameo of 7 off 8 balls concluded with Georgia Wareham’s lbw in the 22.4 over, a call that stood after Pakistan’s unsuccessful review. At 86 for 8, the innings was in tatters.

Rameen Shamim and Nashra Sandhu mounted a rear-guard, Shamim enduring for 15 off 64 balls and Sandhu adding 11 off 41 balls, including one boundary. Their stand offered fleeting hope, but Sandhu departed in the 33.6 over, caught by Healy off Alana King, at 111 for 9. Shamim’s defiance ended when Sutherland bowled her in the 36.3 over, folding Pakistan for 114. Extras proved vital, contributing 19 runs, 10 wides, 5 leg byes, and 4 byes, but the run rate of 3.12 exposed the batting’s frailty.

This Australia side always finds a way!

From 76/7 to a 107-run win 💪

Scorecard: https://t.co/xW3qaCozFm pic.twitter.com/u0EJXjYlpA

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 8, 2025

Australia’s bowling unit was cohesive and ruthless. Sutherland’s 2 for 15 in 8.3 overs exemplified economy, complemented by Schutt’s 2 for 25 in 5 overs. Gardner took 1 for 17 in 7 overs, Wareham 1 for 15 in 4 overs, and King 1 for 19 in 6 overs. The power play conceded just 37 runs for 5 wickets, establishing dominance. Numerous DRS appeals of Shamas (upheld), Eyman (struck down), Baig (struck down), Sandhu (struck down), and Shamim (struck down) yielded no reprieve. Benchmarks such as 50 in 13.3 overs and 100 in 29.3 overs arrived too late, with drinks pauses at 49 for 6 and 107 for 8 accentuating the despair. Australia’s strategic fusion of pace and turn overwhelmed Pakistan, reinforcing their tournament standing.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

The defining moment of the match came during Australia’s batting collapse, which saw them plummet to 76 for 7 by the 21st over. Pakistan’s spinners, led by Nashra Sandhu (3 for 37) and Rameen Shamim (2 for 29), orchestrated a stunning disintegration of Australia’s top order. Alyssa Healy’s aggressive 20 ended with a catch to Diana Baig off Sadia Iqbal, followed by Phoebe Litchfield’s 10, dismissed via a sharp caught-and-bowled by Fatima Sana.

This batting lineup never ends 🙇 pic.twitter.com/afNWYRQLPK

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 8, 2025

Ellyse Perry (5), Annabel Sutherland (0), Ashleigh Gardner (1), and Tahlia McGrath (5) fell in quick succession, leaving Australia in dire straits. Beth Mooney’s resilient 109 off 114 balls, with 11 fours, and Alana King’s explosive, unbeaten 51 off 49 balls, including three sixes, turned the tide with a 106-run ninth-wicket stand. This collapse and recovery defined the match, highlighting Pakistan’s bowling prowess and Australia’s fighting spirit.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Kim Garth emerged as the undisputed Hero of the Day for her match-defining bowling performance. Representing Australia, Garth’s figures of 3 for 14 in 6 overs, with an economy rate of 2.33, dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup. Her early breakthroughs of Sadaf Shamas (5), Sidra Nawaz (5), and Eyman Fatima (0) reduced Pakistan to 31 for 5, setting the stage for Australia’s dominance.

8-1, 24-2, 29-3, 30-4, 31-5 😵

Pakistan are slipping in Colombo 📉

Follow live: https://t.co/xW3qaCozFm pic.twitter.com/zGNe7TSNv3

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 8, 2025

Garth’s disciplined line, subtle swing, and 25 dot balls ensured no respite for Pakistan’s batters, who struggled against her accuracy on the slow pitch. Supported by Annabel Sutherland (2 for 15) and Megan Schutt (2 for 25), Garth’s spell was pivotal in restricting Pakistan to 114, securing a 107-run victory, and cementing her reputation as a key asset in Australia’s bowling arsenal.