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Could it have been fortune that was on the English squad, or the simple inevitability when planning a cricket tournament 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, cruising through their initial pool matches with just a struggling Pakistani side standing in their way from going into crucial encounters against India and Australia without a loss.

It should have been smooth sailing: The English team has historically lost just one match against Pakistan, during a Twenty20 game in 2013, and never in One Day International cricket.

However, rather than carrying forward their winning form into those two big games versus the competition's top contenders, they have been jolted through a startling reality check.

The English side was completely dominated for 25 overs before the first bout of rain fell in Colombo, slumping to 79-7 while Pakistani fast bowlers skillfully exploited a helpful but not unplayable surface, followed by spin bowlers taking over against the vulnerable English middle batting lineup.

Subsequently, precipitation unfairly prevented Pakistan a famous win once the weather improved to give them an hour of hope and enough time to reach 34-0 chasing 113 runs, England's smiles of relief contrasted with skipper Fatima Sana's disappointment as the Colombo outfield became submerged.

This was England's lucky escape and they have no choice except to absorb its lessons.

Moving forward, they are unlikely to get away with another.

Pakistani Team Reveals Obvious Vulnerability

The schedule for this World Cup presents challenges. Focusing particularly on England, they are playing their preliminary matches at four separate locations, each offering different conditions which essentially requires adaptation during matches.

Against Sri Lanka merely ninety-six hours earlier, the English played on a distinct pitch but one which offered spin and lift and very little for fast bowlers. This surface differed, while English batters did not adapt quickly enough to its characteristics.

The Pakistani side possessed definite strategies and executed them, constantly challenging England's fragile defences by nipping the ball into the right-handers.

Diana Baig's dismissal of Tammy Beaumont deviated dramatically off the pitch, the opening batter attempting a dramatic non-shot only to see the ball clatter into her off stump.

Sciver-Brunt's dismissal deviated two and a half degrees from the surface, comparable to the turn you would expect from off-spin bowling, and the England skipper's reaction with open arms and a look of disbelief telling the complete story - the team likely hadn't practiced for nor expected this.

Amy Jones similarly lost her wicket by Fatima, that one moving two degrees off the pitch, and the ball shaped 1.6 degrees resulting in Heather Knight's leg-before decision.

It was the first time across all cricket formats that an England top seven had all been bowled or lbw since January 1908, testament to Pakistan's discipline aiming consistently at the wickets.

Following England's reduced thirty-one over innings, the batting side encountered 61 balls that would have struck the wickets. They surrendered eight batters to these deliveries while managing only twenty-three runs.

Image source: Cricket Analytics/Broadcast

India and Australia Lie in Wait

England travel to Indore for their upcoming two matches to take on their toughest opponents in India, on Sunday, and versus Australia October twenty-second.

Neither are ideal opponents to encounter while batting fragilities to address but the pitches there are anticipated as more even and favorable for batting.

It was Knight's gritty determination which rescued them versus Bangladesh and Sciver-Brunt's class ensured they posted a winning total against the Sri Lankan side, yet when both departed quickly against Pakistan, the English team couldn't rebound.

{"Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight have accumulated greater runs collectively compared to their teammates total during this competition," World Cup winner Alex Hartley commented during match commentary. "This statistic speaks volumes, and both were absent 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 re-promote Jones, and it feels unlikely she'll separate the combination.

Following the top two batters, England's next best batter has been Charlie Dean at number eight with a steady 27 not out during a nervous run-chase versus Bangladesh, a handy 19 against Sri Lanka and she led scoring with thirty-three against Pakistan.

Occasional signs of potential from Alice Capsey at seven however Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb face difficulties beginning their batting versus spin bowling in the middle batting positions.

Lamb has 18 runs in three innings while Sophia Dunkley managed twenty-nine, each of their dismissals to spin, with Lamb being required to play an unfamiliar role.

When batting in the top three, Lamb maintains a forty-four average in 61 innings including five hundreds. These three innings here are the first she has ever played at number six professionally in One Day International cricket.

Danielle Wyatt-Hodge represents England's unused batting option among substitutes, having previously batted in middle positions over several seasons, making it intriguing to observe the duration the Lamb experiment continues.

The English team might have avoided a humiliating setback in this instance, but will be aware things are not going become less challenging.

Indian and Australian teams wait. Any stumbles versus these opponents and England's campaign could quickly fall flat.