BRISBANE, Australia, CMC – Heavy rain here Saturday (Friday, Eastern Caribbean time) forced the abandonment of the opening warm-up fixture of the Women’s Twenty20 Cup between hosts Australia and West Indies.
Not a ball was bowled as Allan Border Field was left unsuitable for play as persistent storms, which have battered the area in over the last week, continued into the weekend.
“Unfortunately we have had to cancel Saturday’s warm-up match between Australia and West Indies because of persistent heavy rain which has left the outfield currently in an unfit condition for play,” said ICC head of events, Chris Tetley.
“Whilst the curators have worked tirelessly, the volume of rain has left us with no option but to cancel tomorrow’s match. We are hopeful that conditions will permit the matches between Bangladesh and Thailand, and India and Pakistan to take place on Sunday.”
The match was set to be a replay of the 2016 final in India when West Indies trounced the Aussies to lift their first-ever international title.
Australia exacted revenge for that loss in the 2018 edition when they got the better of West Indies at the semi-final stage, when the tournament was staged in the Caribbean.
West Indies face powerhouses India next Tuesday here in what will be their final scheduled official ICC warm-up before they open their group campaign against Thailand on February 22 at the WACA in Perth.
The Caribbean side will do battle in group B along with England, South Africa and Pakistan.
