Colombo, Oct 24
Unseasonal rain had the final say in a cricket game yet again in Colombo, as the 25th match of the ICC Women's World Cup clash between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was abandoned after just 4.2 overs of play at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday night.
Persistent showers forced the players off the field with Pakistan at 18 without loss, and no further play was possible, resulting in both teams sharing a point each.
The toss had already been delayed by two hours and 45 minutes due to the relentless monsoon rain that had haunted the Colombo leg of the tournament. When the weather briefly cleared, the match was reduced to a 34-over-per-side contest, with a seven-over Power-play. As per the revised bowling restrictions, one bowler could bowl a maximum of seven overs, while four others were limited to six each.
For both sides, already out of semifinal contention, the fixture was an opportunity to end their campaigns on a positive note. But the rain gods had other plans, and yet another game at the venue ended without a result -- the fifth such washout in Colombo this tournament.
The pattern of frustration has been unrelenting for players and fans alike. The Sri Lanka vs Australia match was abandoned without a toss; only one innings was possible in the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand fixture, the Pakistan vs England encounter ended with no result, and just 25 overs of play were possible between Pakistan and New Zealand. On Thursday, the much-anticipated Sri Lanka-Pakistan clash met the same fate.
The silver lining is that this was the final match of the tournament to be played in Colombo. The remaining fixtures of the Women's World Cup will now shift to India, where players and fans alike will hope for clear skies and uninterrupted cricket.
- IANS
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