Bangladesh’s ICC Cricket World cup clash against Sri Lanka was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Bristol on Tuesday. The decision to call off the match was taken by the umpires after heavy downpour made it impossible for the players to take field.
This decision has now included the ICC Cricket World in record books-for unwanted reasons. This World Cup now has the most number of abandoned matches surpassing two matches in each of the 1992 tournament in Australia and New Zealand and the 2003 competition in South Africa.
Notably, this was the second successive match in Bristol that was called off because of rain. Even the Wednesday World Cup clash between Pakistan and Australia scheduled to be played at Taunton is also under rain threat.
Also, the fact that no reserve days have been kept for the Round Robin stage despite being aware of the rain threat during English summer has led the organizers to face a lot of criticism.
Only one of the three matches scheduled at Bristol has seen any kind of cricket. This was Australia’s match against Afghanistan which they won quite convincingly.
Both the teams – Sri Lanka and Bangladesh- have now received a point each for the washout. This was the second match in two days to be called off, after rain allowed only 7.2 overs to be bowled in the South Africa-West Indies clash on Monday.
Bangladesh now have three points from four matches while Sri Lanka have four points from four after their last two games were washed off.
Bangladesh play West Indies on 17 June, Monday while Sri Lanka play Australia on 15 June, Saturday in their World Cup campaign ahead.
Fans and Cricket experts alike are hoping that no more matches are washed out as it defeats the purpose of the tournament.