The World T20 faces the threat of increased Duckworth-Lewis Method (DLM) intervention with early monsoon rains lashing Sri Lanka.

The rain is forecast to affect New Zealand's Super Eight matches against Sri Lanka, England and the West Indies. Each of those games is scheduled to be played in the central highlands at Pallekele.

According to local meteorological websites, rain is expected on six afternoons out of the next eight.

truncated matches

The seasonal rains were not expected until later next month but have already truncated matches in Colombo and Hambantota, including a farcical seven-over-a-side affair between the hosts and South Africa.

The forecasts raise two issues: why was the tournament scheduled so close to the monsoon season; and is the DLM capable of crunching the numbers fairly in T20?

The International Cricket Council has defended its scheduling, saying there was no other available period to play the games in their Future Tours Programme. Curiously, a number of games at the most recent World T20 in the West Indies during April-May 2010 were played in Guyana as that country too headed into its peak rain season.