How Did Rain Impact the Women’s World Cup Match Between Pakistan and New Zealand?
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Synopsis
Rain proved to be a decisive factor in the 2025 Women’s World Cup clash between Pakistan and New Zealand. This match marked the fourth washout of the tournament, leaving both teams with challenging prospects. South Africa secured their semifinal spot, while Pakistan's hopes nearly faded. Discover the full story of this rain-affected match.
Key Takeaways
- Rain led to the fourth washout of the Women's World Cup, impacting both teams' standings.
- South Africa advances to the semifinals, while Pakistan struggles at the bottom.
- The match saw crucial early wickets fall for Pakistan.
- Weather conditions continue to play a critical role in the tournament's outcomes.
- Upcoming matches hold significant importance for the teams involved.
Colombo (Sri Lanka), Oct 18 (NationPress) The persistent rain has played a pivotal role in the 2025 Women’s World Cup match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday, leading to the tournament's fourth washout at this venue.
This outcome has allowed South Africa to secure a place in the semifinals, joining Australia in the top four. As it stands, the Kiwis find themselves with a slim chance of advancing, currently sitting in fifth place on the points table with only four points from five matches.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s hopes for a knockout stage are nearly extinguished, as they occupy the bottom of the standings with just two points earned from washed-out games.
New Zealand’s captain, Sophie Devine, won the toss and decided to have Pakistan bat first, considering the looming rain.
The opening pair of Muneeba Ali and Omaima Sohail got off to a sluggish start, with Muneeba capitalizing on loose deliveries, while her partner remained quiet. They formed a 30-run partnership before Lea Tahuhu trapped Omaima in front of the stumps in the seventh over.
In the following over, Jess Kerr dismissed Muneeba, who scored 22 runs off 26 balls, including four boundaries.
New batters Sidra Amin and Aliya Riaz attempted to consolidate after the early wickets. The duo began to inflate the score, leaving Pakistan at 39/2 by the end of the Power-play.
They added another 22 runs before Lea struck again, removing Sidra for 9 in the 13th over. Following her dismissal, rain interrupted play for one hour and thirty-six minutes, reducing the game to 46 overs per side.
Upon resumption, Pakistan resumed their innings at 52/3 in 12.2 overs. Aliya and Natalia Pervaiz managed a brief partnership of 24 runs before Eden Carson made a breakthrough in the 19th over, with Natalia mistiming her shot and offering a simple catch to Devine.
Things worsened for Pakistan when their captain, Fatima Sana, fell to Amelia Kerr, scoring just two runs and leaving the team struggling at 80/5 in 19.5 overs.
Aliya, who was holding firm, was joined by wicketkeeper-batter Sidra Nawaz before another rain break halted their innings at 92/5 in 25 overs.
This time the rain intensified, and the match was initially set to begin as a 36-over affair, but the downpour returned, resulting in the fourth washout of the tournament.
Winless Pakistan will face South Africa in Colombo on October 21, while New Zealand will take on the hosts, India, in Navi Mumbai on October 23.
Point of View
The ongoing weather conditions have severely impacted the fairness and competitiveness of the 2025 Women’s World Cup. While the rain has been an unforeseen element, it presents an opportunity for teams like South Africa that have capitalized on the situation. As a nation, we remain supportive of our team, hoping for a turnaround in their upcoming matches.
NationPress
18/10/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the washout between Pakistan and New Zealand?
The persistent rain at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo led to the match being washed out, marking the fourth such instance in the tournament.
How does this washout affect Pakistan's chances?
With this washout, Pakistan's hopes of progressing further in the tournament are significantly diminished, as they sit at the bottom of the points table.
Who secured a semifinal spot following this match?
South Africa secured their place in the semifinals after the washout, joining Australia in the top four.
