Match abandoned without a ball bowled (no toss)
With this no result, Sri Lanka and Pakistan move to third and fourth positions respectively on the points table. Unfortunately, there was no action today. Thanks to all the users who kept things lively with your views/suggestions. We'll be back tomorrow for a double header. Do join us there. Until then, it's goodbye!
Karunaratne: We came here to play. Really disappointed as a team and as an individual (with the washout). We won the last game; ended up with a high note. We might have lost some matches, but want to give some fight. Want to compete with the others. We did really well against Afghanistan. If you get a good start, you can keep going with the momentum. If you take the last couple of games, we couldn't capitalize in the middle order. As a group we're doing really good.
Sarfaraz: We wanted to play the match, unfortunately we couldn't do anything. We'll take one point before the Australia match. Momentum was very high after the England match. Unfortunately, we didn't play today. We have a confident side so hopefully we'll do well against Australia. Every team is scared about Pakistan. Dressing room is very confident after the England match. Australia is a strong team, we have to play stronger than them. Hopefully, we work harder before that match.
15:45 Local Time, 14:45 GMT, 20:15 IST: Kau pings, The match has been called off! So, that 'damp patch' - most likely - has resulted in this World Cup match getting abandoned. Both teams get one point each. This is the first time Sri Lanka have gained any points against Pakistan in World Cups.
15:41 Local Time, 14:41 GMT, 20:11 IST: "The Pakistan players are huddled up near the boundary," says Kaushik. The umpires have come out. Match referee Pycroft has joined the umpires in the middle.
15:36 Local Time, 14:36 GMT, 20:06 IST: Ian Gould and Nigel Llong walking back in. We should hear a definitive answer soon. Clearly, we don't have time for more inspections.
15:27 Local Time, 14:27 GMT, 19:57 IST: Arthur walks into the field. So, does Azhar Mahmood. Kau spots something intersting - Now the three umpires have been asked to be left alone. Even the camera man is filming the discussion from a safe distance! They're back at that 'patch'. They're poking an umbrella into that patch now. They're not worried about the pitch and the square clearly - they think it should be fine. What is intruiging though is, no groundsman is doing anything about that patch.
15:13 Local Time, 14:13 GMT, 19:43 IST: Here come the umpires ... followed by cheers. They are checking around the periphery of the square for damp patches. It's gotten brighter as the umpires now get talking to the groundsman ... looks like they want to fix a specific patch. The super sopper is out to fix that specific spot.
15:00 Local Time, 14:00 GMT, 19:30 IST: Sarfaraz has brought his Pakistan players out. They're testing the outfield themselves. Sarfaraz, Imam, Babar, Shadab and Hasan Ali are the ones out on the field. The sun's out, possibly for the first time in the day.
14:55 Local Time, 13:55 GMT, 19:25 IST: More from our spy at the ground, "I'm not sure what's happening right now. The groundsmen are just waiting by the square that's covered. Are we waiting for conditions to improve by themselves at 15:15? Not sure. Hardly any activity as I see." He adds, One super sopper is working at the boundary on the far end (near those buildings)."
Reuben: "Come on i am at office waiting and waiting for the match to start soon..." -- So are we
14:42 Local Time, 13:42 GMT, 19:12 IST: The inspection is done. The umpires have headed back in. Now we wait. Next inspection at 15:15 local.
14:35 Local Time, 13:35 GMT, 19:05 IST: Mickey Arthur, Pak coach, comes in to have a word with the umpires. On a side note, there's forecast for hail at 19:00 -- according to British Met Office
14:24 Local Time, 13:24 GMT, 18:54 IST: The umpires are out for inspection. The head groundsman gets a pat on the back from Nigel Llong before they begin inspecting the outfield. "From what I see, by the boundary doesn't look too much of a problem. It's by the inner circle - the aforementioned damp patches - that visually looks bad," reckons Kaushik. "The umpires are huddled up while work begins to remove the the covers around the square."
"Just the pitch and the sqaure left with the covers now," says Kaushik with just ten minutes to go for the inspection. "The outfileld has taken a pounding but looks ok mostly. No visible puddles. But to my left (cover/square leg area) there's one wet, brown patch - I can't quite make out if that's a puddle or some thing. Not a puddle, just a damp patch."
14:03 Local Time, 13:03 GMT, 18:33 IST: Some good news. The first cover is beginning to come off. The inspection is at 14:30 local. And, the locals believe we can start by 15:15.
Kjain: "Federer-Nadal game is in its third set and we are not even done with the toss."
13:59 Local Time, 12:59 GMT, 18:29 IST: The groundsmen are still working. The crowd is chanting every now and then because Malinga and a few Pakistan players have come out on the balcony. Meanwhile, It has stopped raining, for the time being.
13:41 Local Time, 12:41 GMT, 18:11 IST: More from Kau: "Steady drizzle just came out for a walk. People still entering the stadium. Quite a few people still hopeful."
13:20 Local Time, 12:20 GMT, 17:50 IST: Yay! "The rain, it would appear, has BI0$," informs Kaushik from Bristol. Oh wait. "Well there's a very slight drizzle," is the following text. "It's a little brighter but a gentle drizzle is still on."
GT: @OM PRAKASH .. good idea but imagine single team getting its multiple matches washed out will have to play daily at the end of the league stage.
Ashish Vaya: Agree with OM PRAKASH, something similar happens in EPL when the teams have a clash with other leagues they re-schedule the game later.
OM PRAKASH: "In examinations, papers cancelled in between due to various reasons are held in the end. The same should be done for these abandoned matches. Not more than 2-3 days will be required for this. Gap between last league match and start of semifinals should be utilized for this."
Parwez Alam (@ParwezA87722678): Pakistan will be more comfortable if it will be a 20 over game. After all they are the no.1 ranked side in 20 over format.
12:30 Local Time, 11:30 GMT, 17:00 IST: Some live pictures in and it's still raining at the moment in Bristol. Both teams will arrive at the ground in 30 minutes time - 'mostly for lunch' chirps Ian Smith on air. The latest start for a 20-over game is 4:19 PM local
Aman Jain (@AmanJai36962974) says: @marszify Having a reserve day for all matches in a round robin format will make the job of organisers very difficult. And it's already a long tournament. Having reserve day will make it more longer.