BRISTOL: The Sri Lanka clash against Bangladesh in the ICC 2019 World Cup yesterday was abandoned without a ball being bowled as the rain continued to follow the Sri Lankans at the game’s masterpiece.
Overnight and early morning rain in Bristol prevented the 10.30am and as the umpires were prepared to have an inspection the rains came again preventing even the toss. Groundstaff worked feverishly to get the situation under control and to remove the water from the outfield but it proved to no avail, as further rain forced the umpires to call off the game at 1.55pm.
It means that this is the third time that a game has been called off for this current World Cup. On Monday, the West Indies game against South Africa had to be called off due to the rain as only 7.3 overs were possible.
And before that during the weekend, the game between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was called off without a ball being bowled. Overall 423 matches have been played since the World Cup began in 1975 and only 12 have ended washouts. Out of these three have already happened at the 2019 event and only 16 matches have been played so far. Making this the most badly affected World Cup in the history of the tournament.
What is also interesting is that of the 12 games that have been washed out Sri Lanka has been involved in five of them, from the very first one against the West Indies at the Oval in 1979 to the very latest against Bangladesh at Bristol.
HISTORY OF WASHOUT MATCHES AT THE WORLD CUP
1975 – England 15 games no washout.
1979 – England 15 matches one washout.
1983 – England 27 matches no game washed out.
1987 – Pakistan/India 27 matches no game washed out.
1992 – Australia/New Zealand 39 matches two rained out.
1996 – India/Pakistan/Sri Lanka – 37 matches one washout.
1999 – England – 42 matches one washed out.
2003 – South Africa – 54 matches two games washed out.
2007 – West Indies 51 matches no games washed out.
2011 – India – 49 matches one washed out.
2015 – Australia/New Zealand – 51 matches one washed out.
2019 – England – 16 matches so far – three washed.
Matches washed out
Sri Lanka v West Indies at The Oval – Jun 13-15, 1979 – Match abandoned without a ball bowled.
India v Sri Lanka at Mackay – Feb 28, 1992, India 1/0 (0.2/20 ov) No result.
England v Pakistan at Adelaide – Mar 1, 1992 Pakistan 74 (40.2 ov); England 24/1 (8/16 ov) No result.
Kenya v Zimbabwe at Patna – Feb 26, 1996 – Zimbabwe 45/3 (15.5 ov) No result
New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Leeds – Jun 6-7, 1999 Zimbabwe 175 (49.3 ov); New Zealand 70/3 (15 ov) No result.
Bangladesh v West Indies at Benoni – Feb 18, 2003 West Indies 244/9 (50 ov); Bangladesh 32/2 (8.1 ov) No result.
Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Bulawayo – Mar 4, 2003 – Pakistan 73/3 (14/38 ov) No result.
Sri Lanka vs Australia at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Sri Lanka 146/3 (32.5 overs) No result.
Australia vs Bangladesh 21 February 2015, Match abandoned without a ball bowled – Brisbane Cricket Ground.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka – abandoned Bristol Jun 7, 2019.
South Africa vs West Indies – no result – Southampton Jun 10, 2019.
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka abandoned Bristol Jun 11, 2019.