Sri Lanka and New Zealand shared points as their Women’s World Cup match was abandoned due to persistent rain following a strong batting performance by the hosts on Tuesday.
Opting to bat first, Nilakshika
De Silva’s explosive fifty complemented skipper Chamari Athapaththu’s elegant half-century, helping Sri Lanka post a challenging 258 for 6.
However, rain hit the R Premadasa Stadium just before New Zealand started their chase, and the match could not resume.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: Sri Lanka Vs New Zealand – Highlights
This was a disappointing outcome for Sri Lanka, who were still in search of their first tournament win. They had been in control for much of the match and had a genuine chance to secure victory.
“We assessed the conditions and played good cricket. Unfortunately, we can’t complete the game. The next game is crucial. We need to win three games. Hope we can play without any rain,” Athapaththu commented after the game.
After the washout, Sri Lanka remained in seventh place, with 2 points from four games, while New Zealand, now with 3 points, stayed at number five on the table.
The result was also a significant blow for New Zealand, who have already suffered two losses, in their race to the semifinal.
“Shame the weather kept us off, we were excited for the chase. Stats and numbers can only go so far. Sometimes it is about gut,” New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine remarked.
“It’s really about manipulating match-ups. Another experience and opportunity for our bowlers to play against Sri Lanka. It is about re-adjusting and moving on,” she added.
This is the second World Cup game to be washed out, with Sri Lanka’s fixture against Australia abandoned last week due to rain.
Earlier, Athapaththu (53 off 72 balls) displayed class during her knock, hitting seven fours in an innings marked by control and elegance.
Nilakshika (55 not out off 28 balls) provided the final flourish with the fastest fifty of the ongoing tournament, striking seven boundaries and a six.
Together with young Vishmi Gunaratne (42), Athapaththu laid a solid foundation with a 101-run opening partnership. Hasini Perera also contributed with a valuable 44.
Athapaththu signalled her intent early, hitting a gorgeous cover drive off the second ball of the innings and another through extra cover.
Seeking their first win of the tournament, Sri Lanka promoted 20-year-old Gunaratne to open alongside the captain, a tactical move that paid off early.
The pair took full advantage of the power play, amassing 52 without loss in the first 10 overs.
The White Ferns, however, were not sharp in the field, dropping both openers multiple times, missing run-out opportunities, and committing several misfields that added to their frustration.
They did manage to claw back into the game after the power play by tightening their lines and reducing boundaries.
Athapaththu brought up her 20th ODI fifty with a boundary off Devine and a couple of runs through mid-wicket. But Devine soon took revenge, deceiving the Sri Lankan skipper with a slower ball, which found Maddy Green at deep cover.
With the run rate stagnating, Gunaratne, who hit three boundaries during her 83-ball stay, tried to break free but was bowled by Rosemary Mair.
Perera (44) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (26) steadied the innings with a 58-run partnership. Just as Sri Lanka looked set to accelerate, New Zealand triggered a mini-collapse, dismissing Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari (4), and Perera in quick succession, stalling their momentum before Nilakshika’s cameo, which included three boundaries in the final over bowled by Devine.
(With inputs from Agencies)
