It is time for another India-Pakistan clash in cricket. This would be the fourth time in the last three weeks that these two arch-rivals are facing each other. However, this time it is in the Women’s World Cup.
The match will be taking place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, and is slated to start from 3:00 PM on 5th October. The match is important for both teams, as a win is necessary for them to keep themselves alive in the race to the top four.
Notably, India have won their first match against Sri Lanka and are currently stationed at the fourth spot in the points table. On the other hand, Pakistan faced a humiliating defeat against Bangladesh in their opening clash and is currently struggling at the sixth spot in the eight-team points table.
As the two teams get ready to take on each other, here is a look at the weather prediction for the game.
Chances of rain in IND-W vs PAK-W
Conditions across the playing window skew towards cloudy and sticky conditions, with the temperature hovering around 29-26°C. This generally indicates playable conditions; however, there are chances of short interruptions if a convective cell drifts over Khettarama.
Notably, the Sri Lanka vs Australia game was washed away yesterday. The chances of the same happening for the epic Asian rivalry are less. Showery spells may sneak in, resulting in a slower outfield. However, if there is enough dry period, the pitch will gradually lose moisture and help the spinners, as is the tradition in Colombo.
The possibilities of rain will, however, impact the strategies of the two skippers. One can expect the captain winning the toss to look to field first, with DLS potentially playing a big part in deciding the fate of the game if rain interrupts the proceedings.
Match in discussion due to off-field optics
The match between India women and Pakistan women is already in the discussions due to what transpired between the two countries around the recently concluded Men’s Asia Cup tournament. Suryakumar Yadav and his unit decided to avoid shaking hands with the Pakistan team after their group stage game in the tournament.
That was at the root of a much greater drama that unfolded over the next couple of weeks. As it stands, the BCCI has directed the women’s team to follow the same for this game in Colombo. How the players react to this and how the tensions of the Men’s Asia Cup replicate in the Women’s World Cup will be interesting to see, adding a new dimension to this already interesting game.
