Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Abandoned
Sri Lanka and Pakistan Eliminated from Cricket World Cup Amid Rain-Affected Tournament
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Persistent rain throughout the Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka considerably impacted matches and contributed to the early elimination of both the host nation and Pakistan.
Tournament Disrupted by Monsoon Season
Sri Lanka’s campaign ended with a defeat to New Zealand on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023, together eliminating Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Pakistan had already been confirmed out of contention. The tournament, co-hosted by India, has been plagued by inclement weather, with seven out of eleven matches in Colombo affected by rain.
October is typically the peak of the monsoon season in Sri Lanka, with average rainfall reaching up to 370mm. This unusually wet period led to numerous match disruptions and altered playing conditions.
Former England spinner Alex Hartley criticized the conditions, stating they had “ruined” the World Cup, highlighting the unfairness caused by the frequent interruptions.
Impact on Sri Lanka and Pakistan
Sri Lanka played five of their group stage matches at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where they ultimately suffered their final defeat. They finished the tournament with only one win in seven games.
Pakistan was forced to play all their fixtures at the same venue due to the political situation between Pakistan and India, the primary host of the tournament. This meant Pakistan’s entire campaign was played under potentially challenging weather conditions. They concluded their world Cup journey without a single victory.