ICC CWC 2019 Match 11: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match called off due to rain

The odds are in favour of Pakistan, who have won all seven World Cup matches against Island nation dating back to the inaugural World Cup in 1975.

8:26 PM

Match has been called off due to wet outfield. Check points table

With this no result, Sri Lanka and Pakistan move to third and fourth positions respectively on the points table.

Check ICC CWC 2019 points table here

7:45 PM

Umpires are walking out. Covers haven’t moved

7:44 PM

According to media reports, the sun is out at Bristol

7:21 PM

The next inspection will be on 7:45 pm IST

7:20 PM

6:10 PM

6:09 PM

5:13 PM

4:57 PM

4:17 PM

4:03 PM

Is there any reserve day for world cup league matches?

From super over to reserve day: A handy guide to ICC cricket world cup 2019

Read the full article here

3:46 PM

Rain update from Bristol

It is still raining at Bristol

3:40 PM

3:32 PM

At what time ground should be ready for 20-over game?

The latest they can start for a 20 over game is 8:45 pm IST (16.15 local); working backwards, the game has to end by 11:45 pm IST (19.15). 85 min for an innings with a 10 min break. Which means, tentatively by 7:30 PM IST (3PM), the ground has to be handed to the umpires for play to start by 8:45 PM IST (4.15PM).

3:04 PM

Weather update at Bristol

Photo credit: (accuweather.com)

2:52 PM

Toss delayed

2:34 PM

Toss delayed due to rain

It's raining at Bristol

2:30 PM

Key batsman for Sri Lanka

Dimuth Karunaratne

Karunaratne, who has not played a single ODI since the last World Cup, finds himself leading the team for the premier event. The Sri Lanka captain displayed a promising inning against South Africa in a World Cup warm-up fixture. He scored 87 runs which saw 12 boundaries. Karunaratne scored an unbeaten 52 against New Zealand in the first World Cup match and contributed 30 runs in the second game against Afghanistan. Under a lot of pressure and the ragtag attached to Sri Lanka, Karunaratne has to take his team back to its winning days.

2:28 PM

Bristol pitch is under cover, due to rains

According to TV visuals, currently, the square is under the cover at Bristol

2:26 PM

PITCH REPORT and Weather prediction

The meteorologists' forecasts make for grim reading. There's a 90% chance for rain, which is expected to hit all through Friday morning, putting the game in serious jeopardy. The pitch remained under the hover cover on the eve of the game, but Dimuth Karunaratne said it would be a welcome change from the green tops of Cardiff. West Indies scored 421 at this ground in a warm-up game against New Zealand. Pakistan themselves scored 358 in an ODI here last month and lost

2:03 PM

Here is the playing 11 prediction of both the teams

Pakistan playing 11: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c&wk), Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir

Sri Lanka playing 11: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Perera (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne/Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Lasith Malinga

 

1:54 PM

According to various media reports, it was raining at Bristol at 1:30 pm IST

1:47 PM

How Wasim Akram inspired Wahab Riaz to get back international cricket

"I met Wasim and Waqar last week and they told me not to fear anyone. Wasim told me that I looked great and those words inspired me a lot," he said.

 

Riaz admitted he needed words of encouragement after his disappointing form in recent years.

 

"When you are not in the team then you need encouragement and the two great bowlers helped me get back to my full confidence," he said.

1:46 PM

Key bowler for Sri Lanka

Lasith Malinga

One of the best pacers in the world, the 35-year-old Malinga is the master of the slow ball, which makes him a go-to wicket-taker. During the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) final, the Sri Lankan unleashed the delivery on the last ball which helped Mumbai Indians secure a one-run victory over Chennai Super Kings. Malinga has so far collected 11 wickets, including a three-for against New Zealand, earlier this year. After being unsuccessful against New Zealand in first World Cup match, Malinga picked three-wickets against Afghanistan in the second game. Playing in his last World Cup, Malinga will be the crucial player for Sri Lanka.
 

Photo: Wikimedia commons

1:35 PM

Key batsman for Pakistan

Babar Azam

The right-handed number three Pakistan batsman has been in good form lately. He scored a century in the first warm-up match against Afghanistan and the player has been a vital cog in the team's batting scheme of things. Babar hit a well-compiled 63 off 66 balls against England in second World Cup match after failing in the first match against West Indies. He is currently the number seven ranked batsman in the ODI batsmen rankings and the player holds the key to help Pakistan post a respectable score on the board.
 

1:29 PM

Pakistan legends inspired Riaz's journey to World Cup fame

Pakistan pace bowler Wahab Riaz says he would have been watching the World Cup at home without the help of inspirational advice from Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.

Riaz was not on the selectors' radar for the World Cup following a costly spell of 8.4 overs which yielded 89 runs against arch-rivals India in Pakistan's Champions Trophy match two years ago.

He was only a last-minute inclusion in the World Cup squad after another left-arm paceman, Junaid Khan, was short of fitness and form in the one-day series defeat against England just prior to the tournament.

But the 33-year-old has made the most of his unexpected chance thanks to pep talks from his idols Wasim and Waqar, the former Pakistan stars regarded as two of the sport's finest fast bowlers.

"It's a complete change of fate and I am enjoying that," Riaz told reporters on Thursday.

"I would have been watching the World Cup in my drawing room and praying for Pakistan team.

"But I am here taking wickets and getting inspiration from Wasim, who I watched bowling in my childhood and idolised all my career, and my former coach Waqar. They are inspiring me here."

Riaz led the Pakistan attack with 3-82 in his team's surprise 14-run win over tournament favourites England on Monday and immediately gave the credit to Wasim and Waqar.
 

1:23 PM

Dimuth Karunaratne on Sri Lanka middle order collapse

Sri Lanka will have to guard against another middle-order collapse, which derailed their good starts in both the matches, a weakness Karunaratne hopes will be addressed.

"We have some areas to improve in batting," said Karunaratne, whose team slumped from 144-1 to 201 all out against Afghanistan.

"We need to focus on those things and make sure it does not happen in the Pakistan match. But the win has, overall, boosted our confidence."

Karunaratne also gave his backing to veteran Angelo Mathews, who has been dismissed without scoring in both World Cup games.

"He is a cricketer with a lot of experience and has faced similar kind of situations on a number of times so I don't think it will be a problem for him to come out of it," Karunaratne said.

Sri Lanka are likely to bring in all-rounder Jeevan Mendis into the team on Friday.

1:18 PM

Karunaratne unfazed by Sri Lanka's World Cup woe against Pakistan

Dimuth Karunaratne insists Sri Lanka can end their wretched World Cup record against Pakistan when they clash in Bristol on Friday.

Pakistan have won all seven World Cup encounters against Sri Lanka dating back to the inaugural World Cup in 1975.

But Sri Lanka are optimistic after recovering from a crushing 10-wicket defeat in their opening match against New Zealand.

A hard-earned 34-run win against minnows Afghanistan lifted Sri Lankan spirits, although Karunaratne acknowledges they still have room for improvement.

The next test for the 1996 champions comes against an unpredictable Pakistan side who were bowled out for 105 in their opening seven-wicket defeat against the West Indies before a shock 14-run victory against hosts and tournament favourites England.

Asked on Thursday if Sri Lanka's past struggles against Pakistan could be a mental barrier, captain Karunaratne told reporters: "We may not have won against Pakistan in the World Cup but it doesn't bother us.

"It's just another one-day international for us so if we perform well on that day we can win."

Karunaratne admitted his team were low on confidence after being shot out for 136 by New Zealand, but he believes they have more than enough talent to see off Pakistan "Pakistan is an unpredictable team but we are also coming into this game having won one and lost one. We were low in confidence but we will give our best shot out to beat them," he said.

1:14 PM

Here are the squad of both the teams

Squads: Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c, wk), Asif Ali, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Imam-ul-Haq, Shadab Khan, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz, Haris Sohail, Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman

 

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Avishka Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Thisara Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Dhananjaya de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay

1:00 PM

Preview

Buoyed by their comprehensive win over tournament favourites England, Pakistan will look to carry on the momentum when they take on Sri Lanka in their third World Cup game at the County Ground in Bristol on Friday. Both the teams, who were outplayed in their opening games, won their second games and made sure their fans don't lose hope. While Pakistan were more convincing in their win against England, Sri Lanka were a bit rusty, especially in the batting department where they suffered a horrific batting collapse and almost surrendered before underdogs Afghanistan.
 
It was only their pacers, especially Nuwan Pradeep and Lasith Malinga, who brought them back into the match and helped them register a narrow 34-run win in a match that was cut down to 41-overs affair due to rain. Pakistan, who were bundled out for 105 against West Indies, made a terrific turnaround against Eoin Morgan and boys as they first scored 348 and then successfully defended it on a batting-friendly Nottingham pitch in their second game. And thus, they would be the more confident side going into Friday's match.