Sri Lanka-South Africa hope for a ‘run’fest rather than a ‘rain’fest
Colombo has played spoilsport in this World Cup so far. Of the seven matches held there, three have been abandoned due to rain — either without a ball being bowled, after the completion of the first innings, or just after the start of the second innings.
On Wednesday, Pakistan was at the receiving end of this vagary of nature. They had done all the hard work to restrict four-time champions England to 133/9 in 31 overs. The run chase also began positively, and Pakistan looked well on course to register their first-ever win against England. However, rain had the last laugh, pushing the game towards abandonment.
Similarly, on Tuesday, Sri Lanka, after posting a competitive 258 in 50 overs against New Zealand, were in the driver’s seat and would have fancied their chances of beating the White Ferns. But the Rain God once again showed no mercy on the co-hosts and washed away the entire second innings.
Three days later, Sri Lanka find themselves playing in Colombo again, this time against South Africa. While players from both sides will be practicing hard as the race for the semi-finals intensifies, there is little doubt that they will also be sparing some time from their schedules to pray and hope that the rain stays put.
On the points table, South Africa are in a much better position than Sri Lanka, having won three of their four matches. The Laura Wolvaardt-led side has been involved in some close encounters but has been fortunate to finish on the right side of the results. Conversely, Sri Lanka, jointly hosting the World Cup with India for the first time, have not had much to celebrate. They do have two points in their kitty but not a single win to boast of.
A win for South Africa will strengthen their chances of making it to the top four, while a loss for Sri Lanka would mean bidding adieu to their World Cup dreams. A Sri Lankan win, however, would make the tournament all the more intriguing.
Can the Rain God be kind enough to take the day off and allow cricket fans to drench and soak in the excitement of a full contest? Fingers crossed.
Head-to-Head
Overall: Sri Lanka – 6, South Africa – 16
At World Cups: Sri Lanka – 2, South Africa – 4
Nadine de Klerk: The 25-year-old South African has come of age in the last two matches, rescuing her team from trouble and steering them home while holding her nerve in tricky run chases.
Chloe Tryon: The experienced South African all-rounder has played a couple of match-winning knocks so far in the tournament and has also chipped in with useful contributions with the ball.
Nilakshika Silva: The right-handed middle-order batter fought hard for her gritty half-century, striking at a rate of almost 200. She helped Sri Lanka post a formidable total against New Zealand in a match that was eventually washed out.
Inoka Ranaweera: The Sri Lankan left-arm spinner has been the chief tormentor for opposition batters in this World Cup so far, given her ability to stem the flow of runs in the middle overs and pick up wickets.
Match details
Time: 3:00 PM
Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo