The English team's Fortunate Getaway - What Issues Need Resolution?

Was it luck that was on England's side, or merely the unavoidable nature of scheduling an international cricket competition during monsoon season?

Either way, England got away with one against Pakistan this past Wednesday - in a major way.

They were three wins from three, smoothly progressing through their initial pool matches with just winless Pakistan blocking their path from going into crucial encounters against India and Australia without a loss.

This should have represented smooth sailing: The English team has historically lost once to Pakistan, during a Twenty20 game back in 2013, and never in One Day International cricket.

But instead of taking momentum toward those crucial matches versus the competition's top contenders, they have been jolted by a shuddering wake-up call.

England were thoroughly outplayed during twenty-five overs before the first bout of rain fell in Colombo, collapsing to seventy-nine for seven while Pakistani fast bowlers skillfully exploited a challenging yet manageable pitch, followed by spin bowlers taking over against the vulnerable English middle batting lineup.

Then the rain cruelly denied Pakistan a famous win once the weather improved providing sixty minutes of opportunity with sufficient duration to reach 34-0 chasing 113 runs, The English team's relieved expressions contrasted with skipper Fatima Sana's disappointment as the Colombo outfield became submerged.

This was England's lucky escape leaving them no option but to learn from it.

From here on, it's improbable they'll escape another such situation.

Pakistani Team Reveals Glaring Weakness

The schedule for this World Cup presents challenges. Looking at England specifically, they are playing their group-stage games at four separate locations, all providing varying playing conditions demanding essentially learning on the job.

Versus the Sri Lankan team just four days ago, England were on a different surface that provided turn, bounce and very little for the seamers. This one was different, while English batters did not adapt quickly enough to it.

Pakistan had clear plans and implemented them effectively, constantly challenging the English team's vulnerable batting by nipping the ball into the right-handers.

Diana Baig's dismissal against Tammy Beaumont jagged back off the seam, the opening batter attempting an extravagant leave only to see her off-stump being disturbed.

Sciver-Brunt's dismissal moved 2.5 degrees from the surface, not dissimilar to movement typically seen from off-spin bowling, with the English captain's response with open arms and a look of disbelief said it all - they probably had not prepared for or anticipated such conditions.

Amy Jones similarly lost her wicket by Fatima, that one moving two degrees off the pitch, and the ball shaped one point six degrees for Heather Knight's lbw.

It was the first time in any format that an England top seven were all either bowled or leg-before since January 1908, demonstrating Pakistani bowling accuracy in targeting the stumps.

Following England's reduced thirty-one over innings, the batting side encountered sixty-one deliveries that would have struck the wickets. They surrendered eight batters to them and scored just 23 runs.

India and Australia Await Their Turn

The English squad journeys to Indore for their next two games to face their most challenging rivals against India this Sunday, and Australia on 22 October.

Neither are ideal opponents to be facing with batting fragilities to address however the local pitches are expected to be more even and favorable for batting.

It was Knight's gritty determination which rescued them against Bangladesh and Sciver-Brunt's class ensured they posted a winning total against the Sri Lankan side, yet when both departed quickly facing Pakistan, England could not recover.

{"Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight have scored more runs between them compared to their teammates total during this competition," World Cup winner Alex Hartley said on broadcast coverage. "That says something within itself, and neither of them batted in the first match. That represents a worry."

Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones have faced difficulties versus moving deliveries - stands of six, 24 and 13 following the chase of just 70 in the opener against South Africa - however the coach's initial decision was to demonstrate confidence and reinstate Jones, and it feels unlikely she will disrupt the pair.

After Sciver-Brunt and Knight, England's next best batter has been Charlie Dean at number eight scoring a solid twenty-seven not out in a tense chase against Bangladesh, a handy 19 against Sri Lanka and she led scoring with thirty-three versus Pakistan.

Occasional signs of potential from Alice Capsey at seven however Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb are struggling to start their batting versus spin bowling in the middle order.

Emma Lamb has accumulated eighteen runs in three innings while Dunkley has 29, each of their dismissals to spin, with Lamb being required to perform an unaccustomed position.

While occupying top-order positions, Lamb maintains a forty-four average in 61 innings including five hundreds. These current three performances represent her initial experience batting sixth professionally in One Day International cricket.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge is England's unused batting option among substitutes, having previously batted in middle positions over several seasons, so it will be interesting to see how long the Lamb experiment continues.

England may have dodged a humiliating setback here, but will be aware things are not going to get any easier.

India and Australia await. Any wobbles against those two and England's campaign rapidly deteriorate.