NZ W VS PAK W MATCH 19

Up next for the White Ferns is a clash against India on Thursday, 23rd October in Navi Mumbai, while Pakistan will take on South Africa here in Colombo on Tuesday, 21st October. A blockbuster encounter awaits on Sunday, 19th October, as India face England at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. It rained in Indore on Saturday, but we hope for better fortunes on Sunday. The first ball will be bowled at 9.30 am GMT, and as always, do join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

You might be wondering how South Africa have already qualified even though England, India, and New Zealand can still catch up if they lose their remaining two games. The explanation lies in the tiebreaker rules. When teams finish on equal points, the first criterion is the number of wins, and net run rate is considered only if the wins are equal. For example, New Zealand currently have 4 points. If they beat India and England, they would finish with 8 points. India, if they beat Bangladesh and England, would also end up with 8 points. England, if they beat Australia, would have 9 points. If South Africa lose both of their remaining matches, they would also finish on 8 points. In that scenario, India and South Africa would have 4 wins each, while New Zealand can only end up with 3 wins.

Pakistan's skipper, Fatima Sana says that the team got a good start but lost a few wickets. She believes they had a chance to reach 180 and expresses confidence in the bowling unit, given the way they have performed here in Colombo. She hopes the batters will have a better performance in the next game. Overall, she is happy with the bowling but acknowledges that the batting needs improvement. She emphasises the importance of playing well in the remaining matches. Regarding the pitches in Colombo, she observes that although it is expected to assist spinners, she finds movement and enjoys bowling on it. On her captaincy, she admits it is challenging because the team is not winning, but she appreciates the support from her teammates and enjoys leading the side.

The skipper of New Zealand, Sophie Devine, says that they were hopeful, given that even after 5 hours of rain break, South Africa and Sri Lanka managed to get back on the park. Believes that they were in a good position but it's extremely frustrating to wait for four years for the World Cup, and the rain has a major say. Adds that everyone in the dressing room is unhappy with their luck, as they wanted to play cricket. Also says that they need to bag the last two wins in the group stage. Ends up saying that it is going to be a challenge to play India but they will look forward to the challenge.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Earlier, after the toss went their way, New Zealand chose to bowl first, with rain and the possibility of the DLS method looming. Pakistan’s openers got off to a steady start, though Omaima Sohail struggled to get going, while Muneeba Ali looked fluent, striking four delightful boundaries in her brisk 22. The White Ferns were not at their best with the ball, but Lea Tahuhu stood out and reduced Pakistan to 52 for 3 when rain brought the first interruption. After more than an hour’s delay, play resumed with the game reduced to 46 overs a side. Aliya Riaz and Natalia Pervaiz steadied the innings with a useful partnership, but just as they were beginning to settle, Pervaiz perished trying to attack Eden Carson. Amelia Kerr then produced a beauty to dismiss Fatima Sana, and before Pakistan could stitch a recovery, rain returned with the score being 92/5 after 25 overs, and the game never resumed.

Well, it’s official! THE GAME HAS BEEN ABANDONED. It continues to rain, and despite a couple of breaks, it was simply not possible to get the ground ready for play before the cut-off time, even if it were to stop right now. With this outcome, SOUTH AFRICA HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE SEMIS. It is the second consecutive no result for both sides and they share a point each. When the fixtures were announced, New Zealand would have fancied their chances against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, hoping to claim four points, but the rain has limited them to two. This takes their tally to 4 points from 5 games, with a solitary win and two washouts. As a result, their remaining games against India and England become even more crucial. For Pakistan, it is equally frustrating, as they had pushed Australia and England hard here in Colombo, and had the rain allowed play, they could have challenged for a strong result. They remain the only team without a win and are anchored at the bottom with just 2 points from 5 games, both earned through washouts. They still have games left against South Africa and Sri Lanka and remain mathematically in contention for a semifinal spot.

UPDATE - 3.31 pm GMT - The steady rain continues, and it is increasingly likely that the game will be called off. The situation would have to improve drastically for play to resume, and it will be nothing short of a miracle if that happens.

UPDATE - 3.12 pm GMT - As the rain continues to fall, time is running short with the cut-off of 4.11 pm GMT less than an hour away. First, the rain needs to stop, and even then, it will take the ground staff a fair amount of time to get the outfield ready for play.

UPDATE - 2.43 pm GMT - Unfortunately, the rain has picked up. When it returned earlier, the entire ground was not covered, as it was only a light drizzle, but now the ground staff will have to bring on the remaining covers to protect the entire outfield. It is frustrating for everyone involved, but all we can do is wait for the situation to improve. Stay tuned for more news.

UPDATE - 2.11 pm GMT - And the rain is back! Just as our spirits were lifted with the news of a resumption, the drizzle has returned to dampen the mood once again, and the covers are coming on. It has been that kind of day, and this has been the story not just for this game but for most matches here in Colombo. There has also been lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, so the match officials will need to take this into account when deciding if and when play can safely resume once the rain stops. Ian Bishop informs on air that 4.11 pm GMT is the cut-off time for a 20-over chase for New Zealand.

UPDATE - 2.05 pm GMT - Right then, the match has been reduced to a 36-overs-per-side contest. The innings break will be of 10 minutes, and the Powerplay for the New Zealand innings will be of 7 overs. The game will resume at 2.22 pm GMT.

UPDATE - 1.46 pm GMT - Great news! The rain has subsided, and the covers are coming off. Since the entire ground was covered, it will take some time for all the covers to be removed, but the positive is that it wasn’t a heavy downpour, so there might not be much water pooled on the covers.

UPDATE - 1.42 pm GMT - The rain has not stopped completely, but it has certainly eased. We are hearing that 4.11 pm GMT is the cut-off time for a 20-over chase for New Zealand. Earlier, we lost an hour and 36 minutes during the first rain interruption, and it is now close to an hour since play was halted for the second time.

UPDATE - 1.30 pm GMT - Uh oh! Just as the rain had stopped and the umpires stepped out for an inspection, it has started to drizzle again.

UPDATE - 1.17 pm GMT - The rain has reduced in intensity and is down to a light drizzle. Hopefully, it stops completely soon so that the covers can come off and we can get back to playing.

UPDATE - 1.02 pm GMT - Well, not a great sight as the entire ground has now been covered. New Zealand will be disappointed with this interruption, especially after having Pakistan in a stranglehold through the spin duo of Eden Carson and Amelia Kerr. If the forecast is to be believed, the rain is expected to persist for the next couple of hours.

UPDATE - 12.48 pm GMT - That's it! The umpires have had enough and called in for the cover now. We can see the players walk off the field, and the stop-start game in Colombo continues in this World Cup. Also, we will lose some more overs due to this rain delay. Stay tuned for more updates.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage