Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Women- Sri Lanka’s hopes of clinching a vital win inside the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 have been left unfulfilled as chronic rain washed out their organization-level clash against New Zealand in Colombo. Despite a lovely late attack from Nilakshika Silva, who struck the quickest fifty of the event, the suit ended with each teams sharing a point every — a result that felt bittersweet for the Lankans after certainly one of their nice batting presentations of the campaign.
Sri Lanka’s Best Start Turns Into a Strong Total
After opting to bat first underneath cloudy Colombo skies, Sri Lanka added their maximum steady batting performance of the match. Captain Chamari Athapaththu another time led from the the front with a assured half-century, even as young opener Vishmi Gunaratne and skilled campaigner Hasini Perera provided treasured guide.
However, it was Nilakshika Silva’s breathtaking innings that converted Sri Lanka’s innings from solid to explosive. Walking in at a intricate stage, Silva unleashed an array of attacking strokes, completing with 55 runs off just 28 balls, peppered with seven obstacles and a towering six. Her knock powered Sri Lanka to 258 for 6, with an impressive 80 runs coming within the final 10 overs — a massive increase for a facet that had struggled to accelerate within the death overs in the course of the match.
Nilakshika Silva Steals the Show
Silva’s innings changed into a masterclass in cause and timing. Coming in when Sri Lanka had been trying to capitalize on a good start, she took complete advantage of the tiring bowlers and sloppy fielding. Her fifty, the quickest of this World Cup, now not handiest rescued Sri Lanka from a mid-innings slowdown however also furnished a rare show of electricity-hitting for a team recognised greater for its patience than aggression.
Her fearless approach ensured that Sri Lanka finished with a aggressive total that regarded able to testing any opponent — however the rain had other plans.
Athapaththu’s Consistency and Missed Opportunities for New Zealand
Chamari Athapaththu, as always, anchored the innings with authority, mentioning her twentieth WODI half of-century. However, her knock got here with a slice of fortune. Early in her innings, she nicked a ball faintly behind the stumps, however neither the umpire nor the fielders — besides wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze, who made a solitary enchantment — noticed it. The neglected hazard proved costly, as Athapaththu went directly to play a pivotal role in stabilizing the innings.
New Zealand’s fielding overall performance left much to be favored. Multiple dropped catches, neglected run-out probabilities, and misfields allowed Sri Lanka to rebuild after which accelerate. Gunaratne herself turned into the beneficiary of 3 reprieves, which includes a near LBW assessment overturned after UltraEdge showed a faint nick, and 2 dropped catches — one through Amelia Kerr and another via Suzie Bates.
Such lapses turned what could have been a controlled bowling display right into a arduous protective effort.
Sophie Devine Shines Amid Fielding Woes
For New Zealand, captain Sophie Devine stood out with the ball. She took three wickets, inclusive of the crucial dismissal of Athapaththu, however became also at the pricey facet, conceding 54 runs in 9 overs. Bree Illing and Rosemary Mair chipped in with a wicket every, though the overall bowling attempt became undermined through fielding errors.
Devine’s tactical modifications stored New Zealand inside the contest through the center overs, but as soon as Silva launched her counterattack, even the first-rate-laid plans began to resolve.
Fortune Favours Sri Lanka
It became clean that good fortune played a part in Sri Lanka’s innings. Several near calls went their way — such as a overlooked stumping by using Gaze and an unreviewed LBW shout against Hasini Perera that replays later showed could have hit the stumps.
Despite those lucky breaks, Sri Lanka batted extra conservatively than regular, possibly aiming to avoid every other collapse after in advance struggles inside the event. They misplaced handiest wickets up to the 40th over however maintained a modest scoring rate below 5 an over. When they ultimately decided to press the accelerator, wickets began to tumble — collapsing from 183 for 2 to 198 for five in short succession.
That’s while Nilakshika Silva took price. Her fearless hitting inside the final overs modified the complexion of the innings, as she punished every loose ball, finishing the innings with a flurry of boundaries — together with a 16-run very last over that left Sri Lanka in command before the rain set in.
Rain Ends Play, Leaving Teams Frustrated
Just as Sri Lanka seemed to have momentum on their facet, the rain arrived, refusing to relent. The match became officially called off after the crowning glory of the first innings, leaving both groups with one point each.
For Sri Lanka, it was a disappointing stop to an otherwise inspired overall performance. They had sooner or later located rhythm with the bat — Athapaththu’s management, Gunaratne’s resilience, and Silva’s aggression all coming together — most effective for nature to disclaim them a potential win.
For New Zealand, the washout supplied some relief, as their inconsistent fielding and dropped chances ought to have verified high priced had play persevered.
What’s Next for Sri Lanka and New Zealand
The shared factors keep both groups inside the center of the table, still in contention for the knockout rounds however with little margin for errors in upcoming suits. Sri Lanka will take coronary heart from their hugely progressed batting performance, while New Zealand will need to regroup speedy — specifically inside the area — to keep away from similarly slip-ups.
Nilakshika Silva’s knock, even though in vain, has virtually boosted Sri Lanka’s self belief. Her fearless fifty might also well function the spark they needed to reignite their marketing campaign.
Key Highlights:
Nilakshika Silva: 55 off 28 balls – quickest fifty of the tournament.
Chamari Athapaththu: 50+ for the 20th time in WODIs.
Sri Lanka’s Total: 258/6 in 50 overs.
Sophie Devine: three wickets for 54 runs.
Rain: Match deserted after first innings; both groups share 1 point.
Final Thoughts:
The Colombo skies can also have robbed enthusiasts of a thrilling finish, however Sri Lanka’s lively performance — led by way of Nilakshika Silva’s explosive fifty — turned into a reminder of their developing self assurance in world cricket. With shape and fight on their side, the Lankans will appearance to carry this momentum forward in the coming furnishings.
