NZ-W vs PK-W Match Prediction, Preview, Playing11, Pitch and Weather Report

NZ-W vs PK-W Match Preview – The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, has reached a thrilling stage with teams battling for semi-final spots. On October 18, 2025, the 19th match of the tournament pits New Zealand Women against Pakistan Women at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. This day-night clash, starting at 3:00 PM local time (9:30 AM GMT), promises high stakes: New Zealand aim to bolster their semi-final hopes, while winless Pakistan desperately seek their first points. With both sides adapting to subcontinental conditions, expect a contest where spin and strategy could dominate.

Match Details

Aspect	Details
Match	New Zealand Women vs Pakistan Women
Series	ICC Women’s World Cup 2025
Date & Time	October 18, 2025, 3:00 PM Local Time
Venue	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Live Telecast	JioHotstar

This fixture is crucial in the round-robin format, where each team plays seven matches, and the top four advance to the semi-finals on October 29-30. Pakistan, playing all their group games in Colombo as per ICC neutral venue agreements, have grown accustomed to the conditions, but their batting woes persist.

NZ-W vs PK-W Team Previews

New Zealand Women

The White Ferns enter this match with momentum from a mixed campaign but clear semi-final ambitions. After three wins in their opening games, including a strong showing against South Africa, they’ve stumbled against Sri Lanka in a rain-affected draw. Their recent form reads WLLWW in the last five completed ODIs, highlighting resilience but also vulnerability to spin-heavy attacks. Captain Sophie Devine, in her 300th international match milestone, leads a balanced side blending veterans like Suzie Bates (now with 350+ international appearances) and emerging talents. The batting hinges on Georgia Plimmer’s explosive starts and Amelia Kerr’s all-round prowess, while the bowling attack, led by Lea Tahuhu’s seven wickets in three matches, has been potent but rotated to manage workloads. In Colombo’s turning tracks, New Zealand’s spinners like Kerr and Eden Carson could be game-changers, but they must avoid the misfires that cost them against Bangladesh.

Key to watch: Devine’s leadership and Tahuhu’s return from the bench against Sri Lanka could swing the momentum.

Pakistan Women

Pakistan sit bottom of the table with one point from a rain-washed clash against England, their form a stark LLLWL. Despite qualifying unbeaten via the World Cup Qualifier, their tournament has been plagued by batting collapses—failing to post competitive totals against India and Australia. Captain Fatima Sana, in her 100th international match, has shone with the new ball, claiming key wickets, but partner Diana Baig’s inconsistency (despite 17 wickets in 12 WODIs this year) has hurt. The middle order, featuring Aliya Riaz and Omaima Sohail, needs stability, while spinners Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal offer control in familiar Colombo conditions.

A win here, followed by triumphs over South Africa and Sri Lanka, remains a mathematical possibility, but their worst net run rate makes it a Herculean task. Pakistan’s comfort in Colombo—evident in upsets like stunning Bangladesh—could spark a turnaround if their batters fire.

Key to watch: Sana’s all-round impact and Muneeba Ali’s anchoring role at the top.

NZ-W vs PK-W Head-to-Head Record

New Zealand hold a commanding edge over Pakistan in ODIs, winning 24 of 32 encounters, with Pakistan securing just 7 victories and one tie. The White Ferns’ last five wins over Pakistan average 240 runs per match, showcasing their batting dominance, while Pakistan’s successes have been scrappy, averaging 149 runs. Recent history favors New Zealand, including a 71-run thrashing in 2022 where Suzie Bates smashed 126. However, Pakistan’s 2022 World Cup upset vibe lingers—could Colombo’s spin-friendly pitches level the scales?

Category	NZ-W Wins	PAK-W Wins	Ties/No Result
ODI H2H	24	7	1

NZ-W vs PK-W Squads

New Zealand Women Squad

Lea Tahuhu
Maddy Green
Sophie Devine (C)
Suzie Bates
Amelia Kerr
Rosemary Mair
Jess Kerr
Bree Illing
Brooke Halliday
Georgia Plimmer
Isabella Gaze
Eden Carson
Flora Devonshire
Polly Inglis
Bella James

(Note: Flora Devonshire was replaced by Hannah Rowe due to a hand injury sustained in training, but the core squad remains intact for this match.)

Pakistan Women Squad

Muneeba Ali
Nashra Sandhu
Diana Baig
Aliya Riaz
Fatima Sana (C)
Sidra Nawaz
Omaima Sohail
Sadia Iqbal
Syeda-Aroob Shah
Natalia Pervaiz
Sidra Ameen
Rameen Shamim
Sadaf Shams
Eyman Fatima
Shawaal Zulfiqar

This squad features seven players on their maiden World Cup outing, blending youth with Sana’s experience.

NZ-W vs PK-W Predicted Playing11

New Zealand Women Predicted11

Suzie Bates
Georgia Plimmer
Sophie Devine (c)
Brooke Halliday
Maddy Green
Amelia Kerr
Polly Inglis (wk)
Jess Kerr
Rosemary Mair
Lea Tahuhu
Eden Carson

(Balanced with three seamers and two spinners; Isabella Gaze as impact sub for batting depth.)

Pakistan Women Predicted11

Muneeba Ali
Shawaal Zulfiqar
Sidra Ameen
Aliya Riaz
Omaima Sohail
Fatima Sana (c)
Sidra Nawaz (wk)
Natalia Pervaiz
Sadia Iqbal
Nashra Sandhu
Diana Baig

(Spin-heavy with four options; Rameen Shamim as potential sub for extra all-round utility.)

NZ-W vs PK-W Pitch Report

The R. Premadasa Stadium pitch is a balanced track, offering true bounce and pace early on for batters to play shots freely, aided by a quick outfield. However, it slows down as the game progresses, assisting spinners with turn and grip—over 60% of wickets in recent women’s ODIs here have fallen to spin. Pacers like Tahuhu and Baig can extract seam movement with the new ball, but the surface favors teams batting first, with par scores around 240-260. Dew in the second innings could ease chasing, making the toss pivotal. Expect a two-paced wicket that rewards patient batting and clever variations.

NZ-W vs PK-W Weather Report

Colombo’s October weather is typically humid and rainy, with daytime highs of 30°C (86°F) and around 6 hours of sunshine. For October 18, forecasts predict scattered thunderstorms and heavy rain, with a high chance of interruptions—potentially delaying play or causing a truncated match. Winds could reach severe levels, exacerbating flooding risks in the city, where a state of emergency has been declared until October 18. Humidity will hover at 80%, testing endurance. Teams should prepare for DLS adjustments if rain intervenes.