Women's T20 World Cup: England out but India into final after washout
- Published
Rain ruins England's bid for place in T20 World Cup final
England were eliminated from the Women's T20 World Cup without a ball being bowled as heavy rain washed out Thursday's semi-final against India.
The downpours left huge puddles on the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.
India progress to Sunday's final after finishing top of Group A while England, who were second in Group B, are out.
Group B winners South Africa will reach the final if their game against Australia, set to be played at the same venue on Thursday, is also abandoned.
"It's really frustrating, and not how we wanted the World Cup to finish for us," said England captain Heather Knight.
"Ultimately that loss against South Africa [in the group stage] has cost us. Our aim was to get to the semi-finals which we did. It's all very English talking about the weather but it's frustrating not getting that chance to play for the final.
"Cricket hasn't been the finisher for us."
There is no reserve day for the semi-finals, despite the final not taking place until Sunday in Melbourne.
Each team signed up to the playing conditions before the tournament began, and they stated that there is no reserve day for the knockout stages.
Cricket Australia approached the ICC on Wednesday about including a reserve day but they were knocked back.
Organisers have said an extra day was not feasible because it would extend the length of the tournament.
While this was, visually, not a great look for the tournament - an empty ground, heavy rain falling and two of the world's best teams stuck in the changing rooms, it would have been near impossible for the ICC to add on a reserve day at such short notice, largely due to the costs and logistics involved,
But there will be frustration at how the tournament has played out. March is the rainiest month in Sydney and the forecast has been poor all week.
The playing conditions for the men's event - which begins in Australia in October - are also the same.
It is the first time India's women's team has reached the T20 World Cup final