Colombo showers force abandonment without a ball bowled
Heavy rain in Colombo forced the abandonment of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 group-stage clash between Australia and Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Not a single ball was bowled, with both teams sharing one point each.
Persistent showers delayed the toss before intensifying, leaving ground staff with little chance of preparing the surface. After more than two hours of waiting, the match officials and captains agreed to call off play.
Relief for Sri Lanka, frustration for Australia
For Sri Lanka, the no-result brings some relief after their opening defeat to India, sparing them from the immediate challenge of facing defending champions Australia. Chamari Athapaththu’s side also opened their account on the points table, moving into fifth place with one point.
Australia, meanwhile, were looking to build on their dominant 89-run victory over New Zealand in the opener. The washout denied them a chance to strengthen their position, though they still sit on top of the standings with three points.
Upcoming fixtures
Sri Lanka now face a lengthy break before their next match against England on October 11, a crucial contest after nearly two weeks without game time.
Australia remain in Colombo to meet Pakistan on October 8, before traveling to Visakhapatnam for a much-anticipated clash against India on October 12.
While rain had the final say this time, both sides will hope for clearer skies in their upcoming fixtures as the race for the semi-finals begins to take shape.