Fatima Sana calls for better choice of venues after Colombo witnesses fifth washout in Women's World Cup 2025
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana tried to put on a brave face after seeing her side's third game getting washed out due to rain in Colombo in the ongoing Women's World Cup. As many as five games ended in no result out of 11 scheduled to be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, which didn't give a good look for the ICC and the scheduling management for a tournament like the World Cup, which is still the pinnacle of the game. Sana reiterated New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine's stance on a better choice of venues.
“As the youngest captain, these matches have given me a huge boost. The only unfortunate part was that the weather didn’t go in our favour in the game against England and in some of the other matches. The ICC must arrange good venues for World Cups — after all, we wait four years for this tournament,” Fatima Sana said in the post-match presentation ceremony after just 4.2 overs of play were possible. Pakistan and Sri Lanka had three of their games washed out each, while the White Ferns had both of their games in Colombo ending in rain oblation.
Despite usually wet Octobers in Colombo, the tournament had as many as 11 games scheduled in the month and it was pure luck that at least four of those games remained uninterrupted. Sana and Devine both were on the same page regarding teams preparing for four years for the tournament and 30-40 per cent of their campaign getting washed out isn't what anyone would wish for.
The hope now would be for everyone to see uninterrupted play in the remaining six games of the tournament, all in India. Sana, on the other hand, being the youngest captain, mentioned that she is learning from former New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson as to how to still be able to afford a smile and hoped that this campaign will be a learning curve for the young Pakistani side.
“I’m still in a learning phase and I often watch Kane Williamson — he also lost a close World Cup final but was still smiling. As a captain, you have to keep believing in yourself. Hopefully, by the next World Cup and in the coming matches, we’ll be a much stronger team,” Fatima Sana added. Pakistan remained winless through the tournament, but didn't finish last as Bangladesh, with just one win in six games, were at the bottom of the table.
