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New Zealand captain Sophie Devine voiced her frustration after her team experienced their second consecutive washed-out match in the ongoing Women's World Cup 2025. Following the abandonment of the game against Pakistan, Devine suggested the outcome could have been different, stating that the match could have been started earlier in the day given the available weather forecast.
Sophie Devine not happy with back-to-back washed out match at Women's World Cup
The contest, held at the R Premadasa Stadium, was called off due to incessant rain, forcing New Zealand and Pakistan to split the points. This was the second time in the tournament that both teams had a game abandoned. Furthermore, it marked the fourth match at this particular venue to be washed out during the competition.
Hopefully, in future editions, they might consider starting games earlier: Devine
The result has big implications for the tournament standings. While New Zealand remains in fifth place, the shared points mean their final two matches against India and England are now must-win, do-or-die games. The washout also had a decisive impact on another team, as it officially secured South Africa's advancement to the semifinal, making them the second team to qualify after Australia.
"I hope you were watching that South Africa game the other night, where they were off for five hours and still managed to squeak in a game. So, yeah, look, you must feel we were in a decent position today, you just needed the rain to hold off, and unfortunately, it didn’t happen today. It’s extremely frustrating. You wait four years for a World Cup, and to have rain play such a massive part in it, it is disappointing. I think, hopefully, in future editions, they might consider starting games earlier in the day," Devine said at the post-match presentation.
"We’ve obviously seen here that the rain usually comes in the afternoon, so there’s a real opportunity to play these matches at 10 or 11 a.m. and actually get a game in. Because that’s what all the teams want to play cricket. You’ve waited so long to be here, you want to test yourself against the best, and to be scuppered by rain is a real shame for me. It’s pretty flat. We really wanted to play today. We were up and about for this match, and we just wanted to be out there playing cricket. But now, the situation is extremely clear, we just need to win both games, starting with India in Mumbai. It’s a big challenge, but we’re really excited about it. I know the girls don’t need any extra motivation to take them on," she added.
South Africa qualify for semifinal
The persistent rain has cost both Pakistan and New Zealand big times, as each team has now seen their last two scheduled games washed out. The no-result scenario proved to be highly beneficial for South Africa, as it mathematically secured their advancement into the semifinals, making them the second team to qualify alongside Australia. Conversely, the outcome was detrimental to the teams involved in the washout. New Zealand remains in fifth position, while Pakistan is left at the bottom of the table, officially eliminating them from any possibility of reaching the knockout stages.
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