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WWC 2025: Rain, redemption and a race for the semis: Sri Lanka face South Africa in crucial Colombo clash
There is hardly a conversation around Colombo these days that doesn’t involve the weather, and in the context of this World Cup, the rains have certainly played no small part in shaping the trajectories of a few of the sides.
Pakistan notably suffered the most cruel fate, as a historic win over England was snatched away from them on Wednesday evening following a washout. Sri Lanka, however, have been on both sides of the coin. Against New Zealand, a spirited late charge led by Nilakshika de Silva left them buoyant at the break only for rain to spoil a potential victory charge, but against Australia those same rains ensured a point in what would have been Sri Lanka’s toughest match this tournament.
It’s meant that having faced arguably the four most challenging opponents at this tournament – India, Australia, England and New Zealand – in their first four matches, Sri Lanka have come away with two points despite having yet to register a win. It also means that with their remaining matches against sides they would have been more confident at taking on, Sri Lanka will know that a win on Friday will put them in with a very real chance of making an unlikely late semi-final dash.
South Africa have looked every bit the dark horses they have been touted as. Following a chastening opening game defeat to England, they’ve won three on the bounce, most notably taking down India. And a win in Colombo will take them to eight points on the table, and see them have one foot in the semi-finals with two further games to play.
But while the head-to-head record between South Africa and Sri Lanka in WODIs seems fairly one-sided – 16 wins and six defeats in favour of South Africa – their more recent record speaks towards a far more evenly matched contest with their past five matches since the start of 2024, seeing shared spoils at two wins apiece.
Two of those games came at the R. Premadasa earlier this year, with each side winning one, so while this will be South Africa’s first game in Colombo at this World Cup, separating these two units might very well come down to the toss of a coin – or indeed the weather gods.
In six WODIs batting first at the Khettarama, Sri Lanka has crossed the 200 mark just twice – once in 1999 and once on Tuesday against New Zealand. Tuesday was also the first time they posted a first-innings total above 250 at the venue, a feat that would not have been possible if not for Nilakshika Silva‘s blazing 55 off 28. Silva’s late career renaissance has seen her average 44.50 with a strike rate of 84.89 since the start of 2024, all while mostly batting at number six. Her 534 runs also makes her Sri Lanka’s third-most prolific batter behind Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama, during this period.
Laura Wolvaardt has grown into this tournament. After poor showings against England and New Zealand, she played a pivotal role in their defeat of India before again providing a stable start in a chase against Bangladesh. This might not be particularly pleasing news to those of Sri Lankan persuasion, as Wolvaardt has long been a problematic opponent. In 10 WODIs against Sri Lanka, Wolvaardt has 546 runs at a staggering average of 91 and strike rate of 80.88. What’s more she’s been dismissed just six times over that period – a feat made more impressive as she opens the batting.
Sri Lanka changed up their bowling lineup in the previous game, but were unable to test it. With their batting finally clicking, it’s likely they name an unchanged XI.
Sri Lanka (probable): Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshita Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Piumi Wathsala, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera
There is something to be said for not changing a winning combination. So there might be not much by way of experimentation this game.
South Africa (probable): Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Masabata Klass, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune
[Cricinfo]
Mitchell Marsh came back to captain Australia, but called late at the toss in practically a must-win match for them. Dasun Shanaka decided to field, a decision Australia lived to regret against Zimbabwe. However, in a night match, dew must have been on the mind when Sri Lanka made that call.
Australia made three changes in all, but none of them involved Steven Smith. Also out went Matt Renshaw, their highest run-getter in the tournament. Australia also brought in Cooper Connolly and Xavier Bartlett for Matthew Kuhnemann and Ben Dwarshius. The structure of the side, though, remained the same perhaps with Connolly providing more batting as the left-arm spinner.
Sri Lanka’s structure remained the same as well with only one change. Kusal Perera replaced Kamil Mishara at the top of the order.
This was a huge match for Australia after they lost to Zimbabwe in Colombo. Even a win against Sri Lanka was not certain to assure progress into the next round. Their best bet was to win this match and hope for Zimbabwe to lose to Ireland. In case Zimbabwe won against Ireland and lost to Sri Lanka, it would cause a three-way tie. In case of a defeat, they would be left needing defeats for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka and Ireland.
Sri Lanka were better placed, but a defeat could prove catastrophic for them, making their match against Zimbabwe crucial.
Playing XIs
Australia Mitchell Marsh (capt.), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
Sri Lanka Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
[Cricinfo]
At least there is no danger of England peaking too early. This latest nervy win over Associate opposition – punctuated by a heavy defeat to West Indies – ensured their progress from Group C, but Harry Brook’s side will have to play far better than this to stand a chance of becoming the first team to win the men’s T20 World Cup three times.
Italy ran them far too close for comfort at Eden Gardens, eventually bowled out for 178 in pursuit of 203. They were 1 for 2 after Jofra Archer’s first over, but destructive innings from their Australian-born allrounders Ben Manenti and Grant Stewart – who hit 11 sixes between them – made England sweat throughout the second innings.
For the second time in four matches, England were indebted to a fine hand from Will Jacks at No. 7. Against Nepal, Jacks launched 38 not out off 19 balls – including three final-over sixes – in a four-run win; against Italy, he belted the fastest half-century by an England player at a T20 World Cup, an innings that proved vital in another tight defence.
They had stumbled to 105 for 5 when Jacks walked in, England’s top order again misfiring after Brook had won his fourth toss of the tournament and chosen to bat. But thanks to Jacks – and with help from Sam Curran and Jamie Overton – England thrashed 78 runs off the final five overs, leaving Italy with an imposing target to chase.
It looked miles off at 22 for 3, but Manenti and Justin Mosca added 92 for the fourth wicket to keep Italy in the hunt. Both men fell in quick succession during a collapse of 4 for 24 through the middle overs, but Stewart’s late blows – including consecutive sixes during a 21-run Adil Rashid over – took the game deep.
That left Italy needing 30 off the final two overs – an equation that looked possible if Stewart could land a few more blows off their seamers. But he sliced Curran to short third to end the game as a contest, before Overton struck twice in the final over to seal England’s passage to Sri Lanka for the second phase.
Brief scores:
England 202 for 7 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 28, Jacob Bethell 23, Will Jacks 53*, Tom Banton 30, Harry Brook 14, Sam Curran 25, Jamie Overton 15; JJ Smuts 1-24, Ali Hasan 1-37, Grant Stewart 2-51, Crishan Kalugamage 2-41, Ben Manenti 1-37 ) beat Italy 178 in 20 overs (Ben Manenti 60, Grant Stewart 45, Justin Mosca 43, Harry Manenti 12, Jaspreet Singh 12; Jofra Archer 2-35, Jamie Overton 3-18, Will Jacks 1-34, Adil Rashid 1-43, Sam Curran 3-22) by 24 runs
[Cricinfo]
Even as the smog grew thicker in the Delhi afternoon, Azmatullah Omarzai delivered an all-round performance of immense clarity to give Afghanistan their first win of this T20 World Cup. UAE had them on the mat, huffing and puffing, with 52 needed off the last five overs. The required rate, routinely achieved in the age of modern T20s, looked bigger on a pitch that had stayed slow and grippy throughout.
Omarzai eased the nerves of a close contest – Afghanistan had tied three of their previous six T20Is in India, after all – to seal the match with 6, 4, 4 off his final three balls. He finished on a 21-ball 40*, with a strike rate of 190.47 on a day when Darwish Rasooli’s 143 was their next best. Consequently, Afghanistan’s careful approach had dragged them into the final over of their chase. Two balls into it, Omarzai’s four over covers finished it off.
Despite scoring an under-par 160, UAE sensed a close contest brewing when Junaid Siddiaque had Rahmanullah Gurbaz mistiming a lofted drive to backward point on the second ball of the innings. Ibrahim Zadran’s consolidation was back to its best after a quiet start to this World Cup. He brought up a 37-ball fifty to keep them in the contest.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan 162 for 5 in 19.5 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 53, Gulbadin Naib 13, Sediqullah Atal 16, Darwish Rasooli 33, Azmatullah Omarzai 40*; Junaid Siddique 2-23, Muhammad Jawadullah 1-39, Muhamad Arfan 2-30) beat UAE 160 for 9 inn20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 10, Sohaib Khan 68, Alishan Sharafu 40, Syed Haider 13, Haider Ali 13; Azmatullah Omarzai 4-15, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2-31, Raashid Khan 1-24) by 5 runs
[Cricinfo]
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