Lanka-Bangladesh Women’s ODI series in danger of washout

Sri Lanka pair Kavisha Dilhari and Oshadie Ranasinghe batting during the first ODI / Nahida Akter, the most successful Bangladesh bowler with three wickets celebrates a dismissal

The three-match Women’s ODI series between Sri Lanka and touring Bangladesh is in danger of ending in a total washout after heavy rain had prevented the first two matches from being completed at the P Sara Oval.

The third and final ODI of the series is scheduled to be played at the venue today and the prospects of it starting on time and ending in a result largely depends on the fickle weather.

So far only 36.4 overs have been bowled in the first two ODIs where Sri Lanka winning the toss and batting first made 152-6 before the heavens opened out. The second ODI was abandoned as a no-result without a ball being bowled.

The ODI series forms part of the 2022-25 ICC Women’s Championships, a Women’s One-Day International cricket competition that is being contested by 10 teams to determine qualification for the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup.

Each team will play a total of eight three-match series, with four of them played at home and four played away.

The top five teams, along with the hosts India will qualify directly for the World Cup. The bottom four teams and the top two teams from the WODI rankings will progress to a Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament.

Sri Lanka is currently placed seventh in the standings with four points from eight matches (one win, five losses) and Bangladesh in eighth place also with four points but from five matches (no wins, 4 NR). – (ST)