The biennial tournament, staged in Sri Lanka for the first time, coincides with the start of the monsoon season, and South Africa's match against Sri Lanka in Hambantota was reduced to seven overs a side on Saturday.

This came after the first four days of the tournament were rain-free.

The Proteas should be well primed for rain-hit clashes after nine-over and 11-over matches against England a few weeks back.

"The short-format games in England ... we learned a lot from those," said pace bowler Dale Steyn.

The long-term forecast for the tournament seems to be worsening.

However, the ICC defended the timing of the event yesterday.

"This was the only period available for the tournament in the future tours programme," an ICC spokesman said.

Rain had the last laugh in last night's game between Ireland and the West Indies, however. After a rain delay Ireland totalled 129/6 in the 19 overs they were allowed, but then the rain started again, causing the match to be abandoned, and eliminating Ireland from the tournament.