5:55pm That will be all from us for this game. Rain dominated much of the discourse but the key detail is that Zimbabwe are through, with Australia and Ireland getting eliminated by virtue of points being shared in Pallekele. Props to everyone who stuck around with the rain-watch, and hopefully there is some cricket a couple of thousand miles away in Mumbai, where Nepal are preparing to take on Scotland. Until next time, from all of us here, it is goodbye!

Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe captain: Ngarava led the singing. He has made some very good songs for the team as well so he is the headmaster. I will take you back to the sub-regional qualifiers, and I stood up to my troops and said we are in this situation because of ourselves, and only we can clear this mess. As much as we have achieved, it is just a tick in the box and not the whole box. There will be a small celebration, but we will then focus on the next game. It is just a small tick in what we have set out to achieve. Myself and the coach, we will sit down, we have the data on them (Sri Lanka) and we will try to win that game. Qualifying has not changed our ultimate goal. Everyone loves an underdog story. Every condition we find ourselves in, if we get a day or two to train…we try and learn those conditions. We train, try and assess the conditions, see the previous games (at that venue), and try to put together a good game of cricket. (On the travelling fans) Whichever corner they are sitting at, they will be the loudest. They keep lifting us up. But when we hear them, it gives us energy. These guys have done it out of their own pockets. Hopefully, it is the start of many more fans coming in. We will try everything to raise the Zimbabwe flag high. Hopefully, the numbers will increase and hopefully this is the start of a culture of fans going wherever the team plays.

Lorcan Tucker, Ireland captain: (On the rain) Something we are familiar with. It is an uncontrollable. Nothing we can do about it. Momentum came too late (for us in the tournament). There were big moments (earlier), especially against SL, where we did not get it right. It was a great experience (for the players playing their first World Cups). Shows the pressure elite cricketers are under. Hopefully, we can prepare well for the next cycle.

5:32pm The corner which houses multiple Zimbabwe fans, is still seeing plenty of dancing. The rain clearly has not deterred them. The Ireland players, as they come down the starts, also clap their fans for turning up today and for sticking around in such gloomy weather.

Raza now comes out to the balcony with a beaming smile on his face, which is mostly down to the joy he can see on the Zimbabwe fans' faces, and also due to his team now qualifying for the Super Eight, where they will take on India, South Africa and the West Indies. And now the entire team joins the fans in some singing and dancing. You got to hand it to Zimbabwe. They missed out on the 2024 edition entirely but here they are, into the next stage many felt they may not get to, and with a real shot at ruffling even more established feathers.

5:29pm The umpires going up the stairs, and are now in what seems like the Match Referees room, even as it continues to drizzle. This could be it, folks. They now call the two captains over. A handshake between Raza and Tucker, and that will be that. The plug has been pulled. This game has been called off. Rain has won. Zimbabwe have not won technically, but they effectively have, and Zimbabwe are now through to the Super Eight. Australia and Ireland are out.

5:24pm The drizzle is still on and we need the rain to stop very soon to allow for the mop-up operation to begin. 6:15pm local time is the latest we can start, although that would be a five-over game.

5:19pm The situation may be grim in rain terms, but the Zimbabwe fans seem to be enjoying themselves in the stands. And why wouldn't they. They are within touching distance of the Super Eight.

5:11pm Fidel with some more news: They've hit pause on cover removal. Only parts of the outfield are uncovered. Seems like the drizzle is still on too.

Anand : "Are the points carried over to the Super Eight's stage from the previous matches?" -- No, they aren't. Pretty much a new tournament February 21 onwards.

5:06pm A few of the covers have been peeled off, which is good news. The drizzle has not entirely stopped, though, Fidel adds. Could be that the match officials think the drizzle is light enough to play through. That said, the fourth umpire does have his umbrella up as he stands next to the two on-field umpire and the head of the ground staff.

4:59pm The two on-field umpires are engaged in discussion with a member of the ground staff. The fourth umpire is holding an umbrella up, and there is a lot of pointing, perhaps to areas the umpires feel will need work. Time might just be running out for the rain to stop and for the mop-up operation to begin. Just as I type that, though, there is increased activity near the covers.

4:48pm Fidel with another update, although spoiler alert, it is not of the promising kind: Drizzling still. They rolled the water off the covers, but it's starting to pool again.

Sourabh Gite: "Are covers being removed or water on the covers are being cleared?" -- Zero activity or movement, as of 4:42pm local time.

Faizan: "I know its irrelevant, what happens if Pak vs Nam is washed out due to rain?" -- Well, it is very relevant, maybe not today but definitely tomorrow. As for your question, Pakistan go through if that game is washed out.

Prashant Vats: "When was the last time Australia were sitting at the drawing board calculating NRRs and praying for no washouts? With the dominance Australia have had in cricket, it feels strange to see them in this position." -- They only have themselves to blame, though. They just have not been at the races this T20 World Cup.

Umair: "A quick question for you Shashwat, and the audience. Do you think Australia's performances would have been any different if their first choice bowlers were playing? I think no. Maybe it's due to the recency bias of having seen them being brushed aside but, I don't think it would've made any difference." -- Well, if Cummins and Hazlewood were fit, chances are Australia would have managed to take more than the four wickets they did against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe combined, and may have subsequently fared better in those games. But cricket, like all sports, is not played on conjecture. They were not here and those that were, have been outplayed twice in a row.

4:21pm Some more activity around the covers, although this too seems like the covers-drying exercise Fidel had mentioned earlier. Looks overcast in the distance, for whatever it is worth.

Manish: "Why does rain seem so thrilling now? And for some reason, once it starts raining, cricinfo is preferred to TV.. anyday, everyday" -- Maybe we have seen so much rain that we might have gotten very good at rain-watch...

Harry : "Is 6:15 PM a cut off time for 5 over match ? If so, how much time ground staff need to work so that we can see a five over match at least!!" -- An hour is the assumption. So if the rain continues to fall by, say, 5:15-30pm local time, it might be curtains for this game (and Australia and Ireland).

Ansar: "I might be missing something but if today we have a washout, would not it be certain that Zimbabwe will qualify while Australia will be knocked out?" -- If today is a washout, Zimbabwe go through. Australia and Ireland go out.

4:04pm Pommie Mbangwa, on broadcast, says that we will start losing overs from 4:10pm local time. And just as he finishes that sentence, he adds that the rain has returned and that the covers are coming back on. Or, it may have been, as Fidel puts it, an elaborate covers-drying exercise because the drizzle never truly abated.

3:58pm And it looks like the covers are coming off now. Looks promising too, chimes in Fidel, although he does mention the light drizzle has not exactly gone away. This could be happening, folks.

3:53pm Here is what Fidel has to say from the ground: Some movement from the ground staff, but I suspect they are just getting the water off the covers rather than taking them off. The light drizzle is still there.

3:45pm The latest update is that there is no new update. Covers still firmly in place. Zimbabwe going through as things stand; Australia and Ireland, praying for some cricket.

Vikash: "People are forgetting that even if Zim loses today they have one more match with SL which they can win and qualify for super 8." -- But if it gets that far, there will be an extra layer of pressure on Zimbabwe.

Kamlesh : "The cut-off time is still some time away, but the ground staff will need about one hour to prepare the field for the match." -- Sounds about right.

matt: "A five over game would effectively be a coin toss...which would be the best possible situation for the Aussies....this rain might actually end up be doing them a favour" -- It is a funny, old situation. They want it to rain enough so that this becomes a shortened game and adds more unpredictability. But Australia do not want it to rain so much that the contest gets washed out entirely.

3:25pm Here is a snippet from Fidel: "The funny thing is that the drizzle is so light that we could probably play a T20 in this. It would make the ball wetter and wetter as the match goes on, but we would at least get a game. I guess they are protecting the square at Pallekele for the matches coming up. But there's something a bit off about not playing cricket in what feels like very playable weather. For now, though, the drizzle keeps on falling, and the water continues to pool on the cobalt-coloured covers."

Manav: "What's the cutoff time for this game?" -- Fidel tells me a five-over game needs to start by 6:15pm local time.

MC: "Any chance Namibia pip Pak tomorrow and give Charles (and all the rest of us) the upset we crave?" -- Folks in the USA will be quite chuffed with that result too.

Sam: "There were many close games and I wish there were more upsets. Ned, Afg, Nep should have won against Pak, SA and Eng."

Monank: "@Charles -zero upsets?! Did you not watch the Zimbabwe-Australia match the other day?" -- Was it really an upset?! Anyway, jokes aside, think he meant zero upsets barring the games in this group.

Alan: "Zimbabwe have played this tournament like men possessed. The intent and focus they have shown so far makes them deserving of a finals berth. It would be a shame if their qualification is attributed to weather, because they have earned this." -- Don't think many will attribute it to weather because, well, they did beat Australia. But if given the choice, they might also want to win today to give themselves a further shot in the arm before the Super Eights.

Danish: "Any update on Sikander Raza? Is he fit for today?" -- Should be good to go. Seemed like a bout of cramp the other day, rather than a muscular injury.

Charles: "Is rain about to decide the only exciting group in the tournament? zero upsets in this world cup, and rain deprives us of this drama..." -- it would be a bit of a damp squib (quite literally). But fingers crossed this rain clears up. This group deserves to be decided on the field.

2:54pm Members of the ground staff are lurking around the covers, but it seems like a slight drizzle is still on.

Ravi: "I think Aswin was asking about the cut off time for the game today, if not then I'd like to know anyhow. " -- Trying to figure out what the exact time is. We should hopefully have an answer soon.

2:40pm Andrew Fidel Fernando, who is at the venue, says a super light drizzle is keeping the covers on.

Azweer : "It will be a World Cup to forget for Australia. " -- And as Alex Malcolm writes, everything went wrong for them, and all at once.

2:22pm the covers are still firmly in place, and it looks like the toss (scheduled to happen in eight minutes from now otherwise), will be delayed.

Arnav: "Praying to the cricket gods for a Zimbabwe win today!" -- For what it is worth, a washout and a point apiece works just fine for Zimbabwe too.

Aswin: "I know it is early !! But whats the cut off time for Australia's elimination? " -- A washout or a Zimbabwe win, whichever is earlier. If neither materializes, Australia will live to see another day.

Sowmya : "The whole of Australia would be following this match ! " -- They will not be liking what they are seeing, though.

2:15pm Zimbabwe enter this game knowing exactly what they need to do, which is win. But what could they expect from a Ireland side fresh off a massive win over Oman? Madushka Balasuriya has the lowdown in his match preview. Some reading to keep us all occupied while it continues to drizzle.

Nibraz Ramzan: "Heavy drizzle in Kandy since morning… every drop steadily washing away Australia's faint hopes."

2:05pm But before we get into the NRR nitty-gritty, there is some not-very-promising news. It is raining at the moment and the entire ground is under covers. Looks quite overcast in the distance too. A washout, for those asking, will see Zimbabwe go through.

Henry: "As an Englishman, born of proud Irish stock I am now in the horrible position of wanting Zimbabwe to win just to get Australia firmly out of the tournament. Cricket is cruel. " -- The things sport makes you do...

1:55pm A couple of years ago, Zimbabwe missed out on the biggest T20I party on the planet. A moment that would have hurt them, and would have made them wonder what the future holds. But now, their redemption arc is almost complete. Zimbabwe are almost there. Within touching distance of the next stage, and within touching distance of where they would feel they should have been all along - among the Super Eights, and the elite.

But such are the idiosyncrasies of this tournament and its format that Ireland could yet get there. They have to rely on a whole host of results going their way, but they still have a shot, although that depends heavily on whether they can hold up their end of the bargain. And Ireland, because of what has happened elsewhere in this group and in this beautiful island country, are not just playing for themselves anymore, but for Australia and their slender qualification hopes as well.

Hello and welcome to ESPNcricinfo's live coverage. This is Match 32, and the brief could not be more straightforward for Zimbabwe, who need only a win to enter promised land, even as Ireland, now carrying the hopes of a nation other than theirs, hope to play party-poopers and by extension, keep theirs going for a couple of days (at least).

Group B could all be decided today. Or it could be thrown wide open again to possibilities. Which path will it end up taking? Let's find out!