Colombo heat a factor as teams brace for day-time fixtures

The chocolate glaze on Laura Wolvaardt’s birthday cake shimmered under the relentless Colombo sun, struggling to stay intact atop the sponge beneath. It was a thoughtful touch to conclude the pre-series media briefing, where Wolvaardt was surprised with a cake to celebrate her 26th birthday alongside fellow captains Chamari Athapaththu and Harmanpreet Kaur.

However, the captains might have wondered if the cake-cutting — and the trophy unveiling that preceded it — would have been better suited to the air-conditioned media centre, rather than the sun-baked outfield of the R Premadasa Stadium.

The searing heat — with temperatures soaring into the mid-30s Celsius — is a challenge all teams must prepare for during the tri-nation series. All seven matches will be played under the unforgiving daytime sun in Colombo.

“It’s definitely a lot hotter than what we’re used to back home,” Wolvaardt said when asked about the conditions. “We’re actually heading into winter now [in South Africa], so it’s going to be a bit of a shock to the system.”

Harmanpreet Kaur emphasised that India had made preparations to handle the testing conditions. “As we all know, the heat is going to be a big factor,” she said. “For the last three-four months, we’ve only been playing night games. It’s been a while since we played during the day. Staying fresh and staying hydrated will be key.”

With the ODI World Cup in India just months away, all three captains acknowledged that the experience gained during the tri-series would be invaluable.

For India and South Africa — ranked third and fourth respectively in the ICC Women’s ODI rankings — the series presents a crucial opportunity to fine-tune their tournament mentality. Tri-series events are a rarity in the modern calendar, and Harmanpreet welcomed the opportunity. “It’s a great initiative," she said. "Before the World Cup, we’re getting into a tournament mindset — facing different teams and keeping an eye on run rates — all those little things that can make a big difference.”

Wolvaardt agreed, calling it "perfect for a World Cup year." "Playing in a knockout format and having a final before the World Cup is great preparation. Plus, getting used to different conditions and facing a variety of opponents is very valuable."

For Sri Lanka, the series presents similar opportunities but also highlights key challenges. While the team has made significant strides in recent years, they still struggle to consistently compete with the top sides, especially in the 50-over format.

One major concern is the heavy reliance on the top three batters — Athapaththu, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Harshitha Samarawickrama. The aim during this series is to develop greater depth in the batting order.

"In many matches, it's been the top three — Vishmi, Harshitha, and myself — doing the scoring, but the middle order hasn't contributed enough," Athapaththu admitted. "That's why we've brought in Hasini [Perera] and Hansima Karunaratne, and we also have Under-19 captain Manudi Nanayakkara in the squad. Our goal is to build a deep batting lineup, because in the 50-over game, our batting has been a weakness."

With four uncapped players in the Sri Lankan squad, Athapaththu is hopeful that exposure to strong opposition will fast-track the youngsters’ development. "We're aiming for a good mix of youth and experience. We'll be trying out a few young players ahead of the World Cup," she said.

"It’s a huge opportunity for them, playing against two top teams before the World Cup. I'm confident they'll give their best. But I don’t want to put pressure on them — that’s the responsibility of the senior players. It’s important that the youngsters are allowed to play freely."

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