ICC World Cup PAK vs SL: Match abandoned as outfield is deemed too wet

After raining for so long, the outfield could not be dried out despite the best efforts of the super soppers

Both sides awarded a point each

Pakistan will no doubt be the more dejected of the two sides. The rain gods decided to play spoilsport for a second time this tournamnent, incidentally both games involved Sri Lanka (first being against Afghanistan, though that still saw some action).

So both sides walk away with a point each. Pakistan's next test will be against defending champions, Australia at Taunton while Sri Lanka take on Bangladesh on this very ground.

Tomorrow, there are two matches for you to compensate for this one as hosts England take on Bangladesh and Afghanistan face New Zealand. We hope to see you there as we give you live updates from both games. Till then, see ya!

The match is abandoned!

First inspection done

So, the umpires have finished their initial inspection and the official news is that there is going to be another one at 15:15 local time, which is 19:45 IST.

Here is the official update!

The rain has stopped!

Good news people. Reports state that the rain has stopped at Bristol and that a time for pitch inspection by the umpires is awaited.

We'll get you the official updates as soon as it is available, hang on tight, we may have a game here!

Update but no update

Looks like there is only bad news from Bristol. The rain is still pelting down, and not showing signs of slowing down. The visuals suggest that it is not heavy but it is still steady. Bristol is known to be unpredictable as far as the weather is concerned, so the Met department also seems clueless in that regard.

Let's hope it stops soon!

Latest start time is 20:45 IST

So, according to the rules, the latest today's game can start is 16:15 local, which translates to 20:45 IST, for a 20-over game. For that to happen, umpires have to inspect the pitch at 15:00 local, which is 19:30 IST.

We'll all be hoping that is not the case and that the weather clears up before that!

Toss delayed due to rain

So, there you go. There was a 95% chance of rain today and it has reared its head before the start of the game itself. The toss has been delayed and we'll get you official updates as soon as we have them.

Sit tight till then!

Clash of two unpredictable teams

There is really no better way to describe today's game in the World Cup. Both these teams are former champions, have been sub-continent giants for unimaginable amounts of time but simultaneously have also experienced a fall of grace like never before. While Pakistan atleast have the Champions Trophy in their cabinet in recent years, Sri Lanka cannot even boast of that.

For the first time in WC history, Sri Lanka came into the tournament not as one of the contenders. Some retirements have played their part but the infighting within the board and the players' own poor performances mean that Sri Lanka can consider themselves lucky to be playing. They named Dimuth Karunaratne, a man who has not played ODI's since the last World Cup, as captain. Their first two matches were like chalk and cheese, as they tamely lost to New Zealand before beating Afghanistan in a thriller, as the bowlers stepped up big time.

Pakistan have followed a similar script. They were thrashed by West Indies before suddenly turning into batting beasts against tournament favourites, England. They won that game and naturally come into the game with higher confidence. It promises to be a mouth-watering encounter.

You can our preview of the game here.

Who are you backing today?