Rain washes out Pakistan-Sri Lanka World Cup match at Bristol

Published June 7, 2019
Match officials, including umpire Nigel Llong (C), inspect the pitch as rain delays play ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup group stage match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Bristol County Ground in Bristol, southwest England, on Friday. — AFP
Match officials, including umpire Nigel Llong (C), inspect the pitch as rain delays play ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup group stage match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Bristol County Ground in Bristol, southwest England, on Friday. — AFP
Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman (R) takes a picture with waiting fans as rain delays the start of play at Bristol County Ground. — AFP
Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman (R) takes a picture with waiting fans as rain delays the start of play at Bristol County Ground. — AFP
The covers are still on the pitch at Bristol's County Ground. ─ Photo courtesy Cricket World Cup Twitter
The covers are still on the pitch at Bristol's County Ground. ─ Photo courtesy Cricket World Cup Twitter

The World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Friday after persistent rain in Bristol.

The game was scheduled to begin at 10:30am local time (0930 GMT) but was eventually called off in the afternoon, with both teams being awarded a point.

It is the first match at the World Cup in England and Wales to be abandoned without a result. Both teams now have three points, with one win and a loss apiece.

The call-off upset fans who had travelled to watch the game.

“We came from Lahore to watch this match and it proved a damp squib,” said Farhan Malik. “We lost a crucial point because we were sure of beating Sri Lanka.”

The decision to call off the game was announced shortly after 3:45pm local time (1445 GMT) following persistent rain throughout the morning at Bristol's County Ground.

The rain started to ease around noon and conditions had improved at the time of a pitch inspection, with occasional sunshine, but umpires decided the ground was too wet.

Sixth-ranked Pakistan and ninth-ranked Sri Lanka each have one win and one (heavy) defeat so far in the 2019 edition of the World Cup.

Sri Lanka had a chance today to do something they have never done before at any Cricket World Cup: Beat Pakistan.

Pakistan has won all seven completed World Cup games against Sri Lanka, and has a 90-58 One-Day International (ODI) win-loss overall record against the Sri Lankans with one tie.

Sri Lanka, the 1996 champion, beat Afghanistan in a rain-hit game to rebound after a 10-wicket thrashing by New Zealand. Kusal Perera was set to open again for Sri Lanka after hitting 78 against Afghanistan.

Pakistan, the 1992 champions, ended a run of 11 straight losses in ODIs with a 14-run win over top-ranked England at Trent Bridge on Monday.

That impressive performance came after its second-lowest World Cup total of 105 in a shambolic opening loss to West Indies.

All 10 teams play each other in a round-robin format, with the top four qualifying for the semi-finals.

Sri Lanka's next game is against Bangladesh in Bristol on Tuesday. Pakistan play defending champion Australia in Taunton on Wednesday.

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