Women’s Cricket World Cup: Rain ruins Sri Lanka-New Zealand match in Colombo after Nilakshika de Silva hits record 26-ball fifty | Cricket news

Rain dampened Sri Lanka’s hopes of a maiden win in the Women’s Cricket World Cup, as New Zealand were unable to start a run chase in the abandoned match in Colombo.

Three downpours proved to be final, with each side taking one point for the loss in which Sri Lanka’s Nilakshika de Silva (55 runs off 28 balls) hit the fastest half-century in this World Cup, off 26 balls, in her team’s total of 258-6.

Sri Lanka are seventh in the standings on two points, after two defeats and two defeats from four matches, while New Zealand are fifth on three points – one point and one place behind India – with two losses and one win ahead of a wet Tuesday upset.

New Zealand were on a tear on the field as Sri Lanka registered their highest score of the tournament, their innings of 211 surpassing all they achieved against India in the opener in Guwahati on September 30.

Apart from De Silva’s impressive fifty, Sri Lanka captains Chamari Athapathu (53) and Vishmi Gunaratne (42) scored 101 for the opening wicket, while Hasini Perera scored 44 as her side batted first for the first time in the competition.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine took three wickets but would have been irritated by a series of dropped catches and some sloppy ground play as well as fluffy runs from wicket-keeper Izzy Gees.

The White Ferns team will then play against bottom-of-the-table Pakistan on Saturday before a difficult end to the league stage against India and England, while Sri Lanka will face South Africa on Friday before facing Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Wednesday’s World Cup match sees England – who have beaten South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in a 100 per cent good start – take on Pakistan with three defeats from three.

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