Live Score

11:08 AM IST & 6:38 PM Local Time: It is still drizzling in Napier. The covers remain intact as the wait continues. It is very gloomy and the sky is full of dark clouds. 

11:37 AM IST & 7:07 PM Local Time: The news we are getting from the ground is that the umpires have decided to wait for 10 more minutes before calling off the game. The rain has gotten heavier in Napier. Live visuals show that a cameraman has packed his equipment and is making his way out of the ground.

11:41 AM IST, 7:11 PM Local Time: The match has been abandoned. The umpires shake hands with both the skippers. All smiles in the dressing rooms, an unfortunate end to the series opener at Napier.

Earlier in the match, after opting to bowl first, New Zealand's new-ball bowlers exploited the conditions and removed the dangerous Chamari Athapaththu for just 9 runs, with the debutant Bree Illing drawing the first blood for the hosts.

Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama kept the scoreboard moving at a decent pace, but their progress was halted by Jess Kerr, who trapped Gunaratne for 30 runs and broke the 45-run second wicket stand.

Following the wicket of Gunaratne, Sri Lanka Women lost three more wickets in quick succession.

However, Harshitha Samarawickrama held her ground at one end and notched up her fifty—becoming only the second Sri Lankan woman to do so in New Zealand.

She remained unbeaten on 66 runs off 96 balls when rain intervened, bringing Sri Lanka’s innings to an end with the scoreboard reading 147/5 in 36.4 overs.

The debutant, Bree Illing bagged a couple of wickets for White Ferns and ended her spell with figures of 2/42, while Jess Kerr and Suzie Bates bagged one wicket apiece.

The umpires tried their best to squeeze in 20 overs reply from New Zealand but the rain got heavier as we edged closer to the 8 PM Local cut-off time. The officials had no other choice but to call off the contest.

Suzie Bates (New Zealand Women Captain): "Yeah, when cricket is here, it likes to rain. Disappointing, loved how our debutants got involved in the game. Such a shame we couldn't get a result. 

(On debutants) It has been kind of nice, having a chat. Getting to know each other and sharing a laugh. On the field, the energy was brilliant. The confidencde from Polly from behind the stumps was brilliant. Bree got the first wicket and that too of Chamari Athapaththu.

Yeah, maybe just the balance of the side forced my hand. I wanted to use the quicks for a bit longer when the ball was swinging. Jess was more like a seamer, we will have to look at the balance of the side for the next game. 

I saw the forecast and decided to have a bowl. I love bowling. Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday provides us a lot of flexibility as they can roll their arms over as well. If I can do a job, it is awesome. 

I didn't get a chance today with the bat. With the ball, we would want to be more on the stumps in Nelson. We need to make sure, we stick to our plans for the next game."

Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka Women Captain): "This is not the way we expected to start the game. We lost a couple of early wickets. Tough conditions for us but we have to adjust for the next 2 games and T20 series as well. We need to improve our batting and execute our plans at the right time.

The conditions are totally different as compared to Sri Lanka. Sometimes the bounce and pace is different, it's a tennis ball bounce. I always share my experience with the youngsters but sometimes they need some time to adjust.

I feel their debutants are very good. Even we picked 2 newcomers. Hopefully they will play their best cricket in the next games.

Nelson is a bit like Galle ground. I played few games here in Super Smash and performed well."

That's it from our coverage of the first one-day international between the New Zealand Women and Sri Lanka Women sides. Ninaad Dixit here signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Ajay Pal Singh, Deepak Prakash and scorer/analyst Sahil Khan. Stay tuned for more action from around the world.