A retiring Sophie Devine. Legends like Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu and India’s Harmanpreet Kaur captaining their first, and doubtlessly final, ODI World Cup. An England facet out to set proper its run of underwhelming outcomes forward of the showpiece. An bold Bangladesh and Pakistan that wished to punch above their weight.
Regardless of all these extremely dramatic storylines on the desk, it was precipitation that ended up because the notorious prime performer within the ongoing Girls’s ODI World Cup.
Of the 28 video games performed thus far, 10 fixtures have been affected by rain and 6 have been washed out. There have been 3 times as many weather-related no outcomes or abandonments on this version as within the final 4 mixed (two of 112 fixtures).
This inadvertently labored in India’s favour. With Australia and England pulling forward of the pack, the battle for the opposite two semifinal spots had three challengers: India, South Africa, and New Zealand. A string of washouts, notably within the Colombo leg, coincided with India dropping three video games in a row to South Africa, Australia, and England.
New Zealand felt the pinch essentially the most, with each its video games on the island washed out. Rain saved the Kiwi batters off the wicket for 12 days, and any momentum earned early on fizzled away because the reigning T20 champion made a league-stage exit.
England opener Tammy Beaumont didn’t mince phrases when chatting with the BBC in regards to the climate taking centrestage this month.
“It’s fairly disappointing. World Cups are about attending to the semifinals and profitable the match, positive. However for the cricket fan, I believe the odd upset and the odd recreation the place a group low down the rankings actually fights and performs brilliantly is what you wish to see, and also you need that to make the ladies’s recreation extra marketable,” she mentioned.
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“The truth that Pakistan and Sri Lanka have had a number of their video games washed out, and it’s additionally meant that New Zealand have been knocked out approach earlier than their final recreation with out having the chance to essentially show themselves is an actual disgrace. However this was at all times a risk with the forecasts in Colombo. Disgrace, actually.”
Pakistan’s ongoing political tensions with India necessitated a impartial venue. However the ICC and BCCI’s determination to zero in on the Lankan isle, deep into its monsoon and storm season, has raised eyebrows aplenty, as did the blanket name to host video games at 3 pm. Finally, Sri Lanka was given 5 video games to play on dwelling soil. Free entry solely ensured rain obtained a gentle seat in the home ultimately.
“It’s extraordinarily irritating, let’s be trustworthy. You wait 4 years for a World Cup, and to need to undergo by means of the rain…” a visibly aggravated Devine mentioned after New Zealand’s rained-out recreation in opposition to Pakistan.
“I hope in future editions they consider taking part in earlier within the day. We’ve seen the rain comes within the night, so play at 10 or 11. For the sport to be scuppered by rain is an actual disgrace for me,” she added.
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It’s one thing even locals have been inquisitive about when their paths crossed with reporters masking the video games. Standard vacationer venues just like the Gangaramaya temple and Seema Malaka temple have moist fake grass mats to offer reduction to the guests’ and devotees’ ft.
“Anyway, the rain will flip up publish midday; why fear, madam?” the guards confidently proclaimed regardless of vivid blue skies. True to their phrase, rain arrived just a few hours later.
An area reporter, whereas regaling the travelling pack with tales in regards to the R. Premadasa Stadium’s hardworking groundmen, mentioned the venue took delight in its means to salvage 20 overs and get a consequence. The afternoon scheduling successfully killed that prospect.
New Zealand could be part of the one 11 am fixture within the match, solely as a result of the day, the league stage’s final, featured two matches, with host India taking part in in Navi Mumbai. Funnily, there was a cyclone headed to Visakhapatnam that weekend, which threatened to ask sporadic rains, however Devine obtained a full recreation and an emotional farewell, whereas the rain Gods lastly graced India as an alternative.
For Pakistan, however, this match was an opportunity to rub shoulders with the likes of England, Australia, and even India, which it can not play in bilaterals. Fatima Sana’s facet would have been on the flight dwelling with a well-known win over England after the bowlers decreased the four-time champion to 78/7 at one stage. The sight of the dugout watching the skies with despair will probably be one of many lasting photographs of this match.
“ICC should prepare good venues for World Cups as a result of we’re ready for 4 years. We’ve not performed a lot cricket within the latest previous,” Fatima lamented after being condemned to a moist farewell from the occasion.
October is Colombo’s wettest month, with the town seeing a median of over 350mm of rain yearly. The 2025 version has left Lankan shores, however the specter of rain lingers over the ultimate week of the match. Fortunately, each semifinals and the ultimate have reserve days.
Printed on Oct 27, 2025