Sri Lanka will likely be the more satisfied side after securing a point from their washed-out clash against world champions Australia in Colombo on Saturday. The weather hadn’t seemed too threatening a day earlier, nor even on Saturday when both teams came out before the toss to inspect the pitch. However, the rain intensified quickly, and despite the entire ground being covered, the match was eventually called off about two and a half hours after its scheduled start.
Sri Lanka vs Australia becomes a complete washout
Australia and Sri Lanka entered this match after very different starts to their campaigns. Australia were coming off a commanding 89-run win over New Zealand in Indore, while Sri Lanka had suffered a 59-run defeat to India in Guwahati under the DLS method.
With the washout, Australia remain at the top of the standings with three points, whereas Sri Lanka have moved up to fifth despite carrying a negative net run rate of -1.255. Australia were widely seen as the favourites, not just for this match but for the tournament as a whole, given Sri Lanka’s record of never having beaten them in international cricket — across 11 ODIs and eight T20Is.
The washout gives Sri Lanka an extended break before their next game against England on October 11, marking a 10-day gap since their opener against India. Australia, meanwhile, will stay on in Colombo to play Pakistan on October 8 before flying to Visakhapatnam for a clash with India the following day. Colombo is also scheduled to host the high-profile India vs Pakistan match on Sunday, but the weather outlook remains far from promising.
Preparations of the washout match
Sri Lanka and Australia have met 11 times in Women’s ODIs and 8 times in T20Is, with Australia emerging victorious on every occasion. Their last ODI encounter came six years ago in Brisbane, where Sri Lanka suffered a heavy defeat. With such a record stacked against them, luck hasn’t been on Sri Lanka’s side, especially as they begin their home World Cup campaign against two of the strongest sides — India and Australia.
Both teams entered Colombo after starting their campaigns in opposite fashions. Sri Lanka began well against India in the tournament opener but couldn’t sustain their momentum and eventually lost comfortably. Australia, by contrast, were saved by Ashleigh Gardner’s heroic performance against New Zealand, turning a difficult situation into a commanding win that reaffirmed their champion status.
Sri Lanka’s best hope to challenge Australia lies in the conditions. If the Colombo pitch offers significant turn, their spinners could play a vital role in restricting Australia. However, the Australians also possess world-class spinners of their own. For Sri Lanka, putting up a fighting display could build much-needed confidence ahead of their next four matches at the same venue, while Australia will be focused on maintaining their dominance and securing maximum points before taking on a struggling Pakistan side after a brief break.