The final group stage match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 between India and Bangladesh ended without a result due to persistent rain. The downpour washed out what was expected to be a lively contest, leaving India’s semi-final preparations slightly unsettled and Bangladesh’s campaign concluding on a damp note.
Chasing a revised target of 126 under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, India Women had cruised to 57 without loss before the umpires were forced to call off play. Smriti Mandhana, already the tournament’s leading run scorer, continued her stellar form with an unbeaten 34. However, India’s celebrations were muted after opener Pratika Rawal twisted her ankle while fielding.
Rawal, the tournament’s second-highest run-getter with 309 runs, had been a key figure in India’s campaign. Her century partnerships with Mandhana—155 against Australia and 212 against New Zealand—had been instrumental in securing India’s place in the semi-finals. Now, with just days to recover, the team faces an anxious wait for medical reports.
Earlier, with the match initially reduced to 43 overs, India’s bowlers dominated proceedings. Renuka Singh Thakur struck early, dismissing Sumaiya Akter in the first over, and off-spinner Deepti Sharma dismissed Rubya Haider Jhelik. Bangladesh recovered briefly through Sobhana Mostary and Sharmin Akter Supta, who added 64 runs, but once Mostary fell for 26, the innings lost momentum and ended at 118.
When play resumed after a two-hour delay, India’s openers looked comfortable against the new ball before the weather intervened for good. Although the match had little bearing on qualification, it served as a reminder that weather, not form, could yet dictate the course of the knockout stage.
Both semi-finals and the final have reserve days in place, but if conditions persist, standings from the group stage will decide progression—an outcome that could leave teams like India vulnerable if the skies refuse to clear.
Elsewhere, the final group match between Sri Lanka Women and Pakistan Women washed out at the R. Premadasa International Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan had reached 18 without loss in 4.2 overs before heavy rain rendered play impossible. It was the fifth rain-hit game of the tournament, highlighting how disruptive the monsoon has been to this edition of the World Cup.
The result meant Pakistan finished winless, with their three points all coming via rain-abandoned matches. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, ended fifth with five points — a respectable finish for a side that failed to qualify for the previous edition in New Zealand. The position also earned them a prize purse of USD 700,000, a remarkable turnaround after years in the wilderness.
Sri Lanka’s campaign was shaped by their captain, Chamari Athapaththu, whose unforgettable four wickets in four balls against Bangladesh turned certain defeat into victory, sealing Sri Lanka’s win.
Other standouts included Nilakshika de Silva, who smashed the fastest half-century of the tournament in just 26 balls, and the spin trio that maintained tight control through the middle overs. However, dropped catches and fielding lapses proved costly, notably in the opener against India, where four missed chances allowed the hosts to recover from 126-6. Vishmi Gunarathne and Harshitha Samarawickrama also showed glimpses of promise despite having struggled for consistency.
Encouragingly, the island nation’s Under-19 team recently beat Australia Under-19, a result that suggests a strong pipeline for the future. Focus now shifts to next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup in England, where Sri Lanka are drawn alongside the West Indies, New Zealand, and the hosts. Chamari’s team will play the tournament opener at Edgbaston on June 12, hoping to build on the momentum and continue proving their mettle on the global stage.
All eyes now turn to Thursday’s semi-final against Australia, a rematch of the group-stage thriller. If Rawal recovers in time, India’s powerful opening pair could be the key to securing their maiden world title. However, as the final group games demonstrated, the greatest threat to any team might not originate from their opponents, but rather from the sky above.
