Rain plays spoilsport yet again as Pakistan-New Zealand World Cup encounter ends in washout

COLOMBO (Agencies): Rain played spoilsport yet again as Pakistan-New Zealand ICC Women’s World Cup encounter in Colombo in a washout on Saturday. In a must-win clash to keep alive their faint semi-final hopes, Pakistan were 92-5 after 25 overs when showers forced the players off the pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium, with the match being curtailed to 36 overs per innings before eventually being called off after 8:30pm. An earlier stoppage in play due to the rain had reduced the innings to 46 overs a side with a 9-over play as Pakistan returned to continue their batting from 52-3. Pakistan and New Zealand share a point each after tonight’s no-result as South Africa became the second team to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament — with the Green Shirts still searching for their first win. Speaking after the match, Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana said: “As a bowling unit, all are happy. But we need to improve our batting. We have a couple of matches. We would like to play good cricket in the next few matches. She added that her side would try to win the next two matches and end their tournament on a high note. Earlier, Pakistan were put into bat after losing the toss and were unchanged from their last encounter against England on Wednesday. Opener Muneeba Ali got off to a great start — hitting a boundary off the first ball of the innings by clipping a wayward delivery to get off the mark. She also got a reprieve when wicket-keeper Isabella Gaze dropped her in the second over of the bowling of Jess Kerr. However, she could not capitalise on that chance with a big score as she fell for just 22, shortly after Pakistan lost Omaima Sohail. Muneeba got out courtesy of an excellent catch by Suzie Bates at short mid-wicket, while Omaima fell victim to Lea Tahuhu’s pace — getting trapped lbw on one that skidded on.

Tahuhu continued to trouble the Pakistani batters with her brisk bowling, and the in-form Sidra Amin was her next scalp. Sidra got out while cutting one straight to point after getting a boundary in the previous over by Sophie Devine. That was the last delivery bowled before the heavens opened up yet again in the Sri Lankan capital — which has already seen two washouts this week and is in the midst of the monsoon season. After the first rain-induced break, Pakistan managed only 40 more runs while losing both their captain, Fatima Sana and the set batter in Natalia Pervaiz. Natalia fell while trying to up the rate against spinner Eden Carson while the captain continued her lean patch with the bat — getting bowled by a Amelia Kerr googly. On Wednesday, Pakistan’s hopes of a first victory at the World Cup were hit by rain, with their crucial fixture against England being abandoned after a second downpour in Colombo. The Kiwis also go into the encounter with a washout of their own against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.