Women’s World Cup: Rain in Colombo denies Sri Lanka first win, deepens New Zealand’s struggles

Rain dominated Match 15 of the Women’s World Cup 2025, as persistent showers at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium led to the abandonment of the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand game on Tuesday, 14 October.

Sri Lanka, having opted to bat first, posted a competitive 258/6 in 50 overs, powered by half-centuries from captain Chamari Athapaththu (53) and *Nilakshi de Silva (55)**. However, New Zealand’s chase never began, and the match was declared a no result, with both teams sharing a point.

Sri Lanka’s Batting Highlights

Captain Athapaththu led from the front, scoring her first half-century of the tournament and combining with Vishmi Gunaratne for a 101-run opening partnership. Athapaththu eventually holed out in the deep off Sophie Devine, while Gunaratne was bowled by Rosemary Mair.

Middle-order contributions came from Hasini Perera (44 off 61) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (26 off 31), who added a 58-run stand for the third wicket. Sri Lanka looked set for a strong finish before a mini-collapse triggered by Sophie Devine (3/54) and Bree Illing (2/39) left them at 198/5 in 42.4 overs. Veteran Nilakshi de Silva then slammed the fastest half-century of the tournament so far, scoring 55 off 28 balls*, hitting seven fours and a six to push Sri Lanka to a total of 258/6.

Impact of the Washout

Despite their strong batting display, Sri Lanka remain winless in the tournament, with both points so far coming from abandoned matches. They sit seventh on the points table with two points from four games.

New Zealand, meanwhile, stay in fifth place with three points, having recorded one win and one washout. The washout complicates both teams’ chances of reaching the semi-finals. Another abandoned match for New Zealand, especially against tougher opponents like India and England, could put their campaign in jeopardy. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, must win all three of their remaining fixtures to remain in contention for a semi-final spot.