
Women's World Cup: SL face South Africa in rain-threatened clash
What's the story
Sri Lanka and South Africa will face off in a crucial ICC Women's World Cup match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday. The rain has been a constant presence in Colombo's matches, impacting the fortunes of several teams. Pakistan were dealt a major blow when their historic win over England was washed out on Wednesday. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have had mixed results with rain influencing their games against New Zealand and Australia.
Semi-final hopes
Sri Lanka's path to semi-finals
Despite not winning a match yet, Sri Lanka have managed to secure two points from their first four matches against tough opponents like India, Australia, England, and New Zealand. Their remaining matches are against teams they would have been more confident facing. A win on Friday could give them a real shot at an unlikely late semi-final dash. South Africa, meanwhile, have been in good form with three consecutive wins after a loss to England in their opening game.
Match statistics
Dominance of South Africa in head-to-head record
South Africa's strong performance includes a notable victory over India. A win would take them to eight points on the table, putting them in a strong position for the semi-finals with two more games to play. However, their head-to-head record against Sri Lanka in WODIs is quite lopsided - 16 wins and six losses in favor of South Africa. But recent matches have been more evenly contested with both teams winning two each since 2024.
Match conditions
Pitch conditions and weather forecast
Rain has been a regular feature in Colombo lately, and the forecast for today suggests more showers during the afternoon and evening, as per ESPNcricinfo. The pitch conditions are likely to get tougher as the game progresses, with early assistance for seamers before spin takes over later on.
Game strategies
Key players to watch out for today
Chamari Athapaththu is just 12 runs short of completing 4,000 WODI runs and four wickets shy of claiming her 50th WODI wicket. For South Africa, Laura Wolvaardt has been a thorn in Sri Lanka's side with an average of 91 against them in WODIs. Sri Lanka's Nilakshika Silva has an impressive average of 46.25 against South Africa in seven innings, well above her career average of 29.27.
Likely teams
Here are the two teams
Both teams are likely to stick with their winning combinations for this game. Sri Lanka probable XI: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Piumi Wathsala, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, and Inoka Ranaweera. South Africa probable XI: features Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Masabata Klass, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune.