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WWC 2025: South Africa look to keep winning as Pakistan hope to make a late charge
South Africa have already booked a semi final spot. Despite not having won a match so far in the tournament, Pakistan still have a slim chance of sneaking into the knockouts, provided they win their last two matches by huge margins and other results also go their way. With no teams ruled out of contention just yet (at least until Monday’s Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match finishes), there is plenty on the line in every game. This tournament has now arrived at its pointy end.
Pakistan’s bowlers will perhaps still be buoyed by their most recent performance. Fatima Sana and Co. struck early and then repeatedly against England, restricting one of the better batting units in the tournament to a low score that Pakistan looked likely to chase down, before a second spell of rains washed the rest of that match out. As had been the case in that game, the rains that have held sway in Colombo will likely envenom seamers, who may get the ball to move appreciably off a slightly moist deck. Often, teams prefer to bat first at the Khettarama – a venue that is notoriously tricky for chasing sides, especially under lights. But at this time of year, bowling first is an advantage too.
In fact, Pakistan’s batters were on the receiving end of some good seam bowling in Saturday’s match against New Zealand, when they had been 92 for 5 in an already rain-reduced innings, before more rains ended that match. South Africa have experienced seamers like Masabata Klaas and Marizanne Kapp in their XI. Although they haven’t quite lit this World Cup up so far, both bowlers are very capable of bowling themselves into better rhythm on a helpful deck.
The tougher the surface is to bat on, however, the more Pakistan will feel they can compete. As batting is by a distance the weaker of their two main discipline, a low-scoring match would suit them best. In fact, it had been a low-scoring game in which Pakistan last took South Africa down, roughly a month ago in Lahore.
South Africa’s batting, which, as Sri Lanka found out on Friday, is led off by one of the best opening combinations going, is looking in increasingly good shape. They appear to have left the embarrassment of being blown away for 69 in their tournament opener well and truly behind them.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has been putting together an excellent World Cup, with nine wickets at an average of 16 so far. Almost 15% of her overs have also been maidens (she has bowled more maidens than any other bowler in this tournament). Against England, her last outing with the ball, Sana bowled some vicious inseaming deliveries, presenting a beautiful wobble-seam, and extracting substantial movement to send balls shooting between right-hand batters’ bats and pads. Both South Africa’s opening batters are right-hand batters. Expect Sana to repeat that same mode of attack against them.
Although in T20Is Nonkululeko Mlaba has been a force for some time, this World Cup may be remembered as the tournament in which she stepped up her ODI bowling. She is by a huge distance South Africa’s most penetrative bowler of the tournament, having claimed 11 wickets at an average of 15.18, with an economy rate of 4.63. Pakistan’s batters will know that even if they survive the seamers, they have one of the world’s smartest spinners to counter later in the innings.
The northeast monsoon appears to have properly arrived in Colombo, which makes a match uninterrupted by rain even less likely. There will likely be juice in the pitch for the seamers, but it is a rare match at the Khettarama where the ball does not take significant turn as well.
Pakistan will search for ways to add muscle to their fragile batting order. Could Eyman Fatima or Sadaf Shamas make it back into the XI as they search for better combinations?
Pakistan (possible): Omaima Sohail, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin, Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Eyman Fatima/Rameen Shamim, Fatima Sana (capt), Sidra Nawaz (wk), Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal
South Africa will likely keep their XI as it is.
South Africa (possible): Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Karabo Meso (wk), Nondumiso Shangase, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba
[Cricinfo]
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Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.
The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at Katunayake today (10th December)
The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).
Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”
The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station, Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)
The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.
Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee has named a 15-member squad to participate in the upcoming ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup (50 Over).
The team will depart for the United Arab Emirates today [0 December 2025] and has been placed in Group B, alongside Nepal, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
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