Delhi, 25 October (H.S.): The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 campaigns for both Pakistan and Sri Lanka came to an anticlimactic end on Saturday after their final group match in Colombo was abandoned due to persistent rain. Only 4.2 overs were possible, during which Pakistan scored 18 runs without loss before play was halted permanently.

The washout meant Pakistan was eliminated from the tournament without a single win, while Sri Lanka finished in fifth place. Despite the disappointing conclusion, both team captains, Fatima Sana of Pakistan and Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka, expressed optimism for the future.Fatima Sana acknowledged her team’s shortcomings but remained positive.

Our bowling and fielding were excellent, but we struggled with our batting, she said. We came very close against big teams like Australia and England but couldn’t finish the job. As a captain, these matches have given me confidence.

She also highlighted the need for more international fixtures between major tournaments and looked ahead to the T20 World Cup next year.

I trust myself and my team to return as a much stronger unit.Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu shared the frustration with the weather-affected tournament but was pleased with her team’s overall progress.

We had high hopes, but mistakes in the early matches impacted our run, she stated. Athapaththu pointed to her team’s recent successes, including victories over South Africa, India, and New Zealand in the past year, as proof of their development.

We have a good balance of young and experienced players. We are very close to the top four teams and just need to make small improvements.

While the rain may have cut their World Cup aspirations short, the determined statements from both captains signal a strong resolve to build on their experiences and return to the world stage with renewed vigor.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar