If you thought India vs Pakistan was a skewed rivalry, wait till you see the numbers behind the ODI tussles between Australia and Pakistan. A 16-0 record in favour of the defending champion is just the tip of a very grim iceberg.
The last time these two sides met in the format was in 2023. Three massive defeats Down Under – by eight wickets, 10 wickets, and 101 runs – followed. Heading into a crucial Women’s ODI World Cup fixture on Wednesday in Colombo, which could just put it out of reckoning for a place in the knockouts, Pakistan will feel the heat.
With two losses in as many games – against Bangladesh and India – Pakistan faces an uphill task to find a win against an Australian batting juggernaut that is showing no signs of stopping.
As is the case with most Asian nations, its bowling has much more heft than its faltering batting, which is yet to find rhythm in this tournament. The highest ODI score Pakistan has managed against the Aussies is 235. On a slow and low surface at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Fatima Sana and Co. will not complain if they manage that mark again.
Much will ride on the persistence and patience of in-form batter Sidra Amin, whose valiant 106-ball 81 gave her team an outside chance against India. But the spectacular collapse against Bangladesh gives Australia the blueprint, particularly under consistently overcast conditions, to use express pace early on to rattle the lineup.
Pakistan knows the only way to keep itself in the game would be to play out of its skin on the field to restrict Australia to a modest score, but Alyssa Healy’s side has the batting depth to avoid hopeless situations and end its Colombo sojourn with two more points in the bag.
Published on Oct 07, 2025
