Colombo, Oct 14 (IANS) Rain once again played spoilsport in Colombo as the Women’s World Cup 2025 fixture between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was abandoned without a ball bowled in the second innings, forcing both teams to share a point each, here at R. Premadasa Stadium.
This marks the second abandoned game of the tournament in Colombo, with Sri Lanka involved on both occasions.
As the players prepared for the chase, dark clouds loomed over the venue and moments before New Zealand’s reply was to begin, the heavens opened up. A heavy downpour halted proceedings for more than two hours. The ground staff worked tirelessly to make the field playable, and a revised 30-over target was set with play scheduled to resume at 9:15 PM IST.
However, just as conditions looked promising, the rain returned – heavier than before – leaving the umpires with no choice but to call off the match. With the washout, both teams walked away with a point each.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka opted to bat first after winning the toss and skipper Chamari Athapaththu led from the front with a fluent half-century. The left-hander looked in fine touch, punishing anything loose, while her opening partner, Vishmi Gunaratne, provided steady support at the other end. The New Zealand bowlers struggled to make early inroads as the hosts cruised to 52/0 at the end of the powerplay.
Gunaratne enjoyed a couple of reprieves on 26 and 31, making New Zealand pay for their sloppiness in the field. The pair went on to add a 101-run opening stand before New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine finally broke the partnership by dismissing Athapaththu for 53 in the 24th over. Gunaratne soon followed after compiling a patient 83-ball 42, as the White Ferns clawed their way back into the contest.
The middle order looked to rebuild through Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera, who added 58 runs for the fourth wicket. However, New Zealand found control again after Harshitha was caught behind for 26, triggering a brief collapse. Perera fell for 44, while Kavisha Dilhari managed just 4, as the visitors tightened their grip in the middle overs.
Just when it seemed the innings might fizzle out, Nilakshika de Silva launched a stunning counterattack. Coming in at No. 6, she produced a breathtaking cameo, racing to a 26-ball fifty – the fastest in this year’s World Cup – and remained unbeaten on 55 off just 28 balls, striking cleanly through the line. Her explosive finish lifted Sri Lanka to a commanding 258/6, with 80 runs coming in the final 10 overs.
For New Zealand, skipper Sophie Devine led from the front with figures of 3-54 from her nine overs. Bree Illing (2-39) and Rosemary Mair (1-29) provided valuable support, but the fielding lapses and a lack of penetration with the new ball cost the visitors dearly.
–IANS
hs/ab
