Rain interrupts final World Cup clash in Colombo

News Desk 

Islamabad: Persistent rain and gloomy skies once again played spoilsport in Colombo, delaying the start of the much-anticipated Women’s World Cup clash between Pakistan and Sri Lanka — the final outing for both sides in this year’s tournament.

Both teams, already out of semi-final contention, were hoping to finish their campaigns on a high. However, weather interruptions throughout the tournament continued to frustrate players and fans alike, with several matches already washed out in Sri Lanka.

After multiple inspections and intermittent drizzle, officials finally scheduled the toss for 5:45pm local time, with the first ball expected at 6:15pm in a reduced 34-over contest. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and opted to bowl first, citing favorable conditions for her spinners and seamers.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana expressed optimism despite the interruptions, saying her team would aim for a total between 180 and 200 runs. “We’ve worked on building longer partnerships. Hopefully, we’ll finish the tournament with a win,” she said.

Both teams made several changes, giving opportunities to young players. For Pakistan, Syeda Aroob Shah featured for the first time this World Cup, while Sri Lanka handed a game to promising youngster Dewmi Vihanga.

Pakistan XI: Omaima Sohail, Muneeba Ali (wk), Sidra Amin, Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana (capt), Eyman Fatima, Rameen Shamim, Syeda Aroob Shah, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal.

Sri Lanka XI: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sugandika Kumari, Dewmi Vihanga, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera.

The pitch, used previously in Pakistan’s match against South Africa, was described by commentator Tash Farrant as “rock solid and bone dry,” offering both seam and spin assistance — a balanced surface for bat and ball.

Pakistan opener Sidra Amin acknowledged her side’s batting struggles throughout the tournament but remained hopeful. “As a batting unit, we need to build partnerships and put good runs on the board. We’re learning from every game,” she said, adding that the team looked forward to playing stronger sides to improve further.

Despite the dead-rubber nature of the fixture, both sides viewed it as a valuable learning opportunity for their young squads. Sri Lanka coach Rumesh Ratnayake praised his team’s fighting spirit and said the goal was to “win every small moment” on the field.

While fans on social media lamented the frequent rain interruptions — some jokingly calling “rain the real semi-finalist” — officials and players remained hopeful that the Colombo skies would clear long enough for a decisive contest.

If conditions allowed, the teams were determined to end their World Cup campaigns not just with a win, but with renewed confidence for future tournaments.