Rain played spoilsport yet again as India and Pakistan faced off in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 clash. Persistent rain meant that the match will now be decided on the reserve day on Monday, September 11. Play will resume from where it stopped on Sunday, meaning India will resume batting from 147/2 and no overs have been lost.
Rohit Sharma’s men played on September 10, they will be in action on Monday, and they have a match against Sri Lanka scheduled on Tuesday, September 12 meaning the Men in Blue will be in action for three days back to back which will be a big challenge for Indian players’ fitness.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first, but his decision backfired as Indian openers Shubman and Rohit came out firing on all cylinders.
Indian captain Rohit smashed his 50th half-century in ODI cricket, while Shubman Gill also hit a fifty, his first against Pakistan as the pair stitched together an opening stand of 121 runs.
Rohit smashed 56 off 49 balls including six boundaries and four huge maximums, including back-to-back sixes against Shadab. Gill on the other hand smashed 58 in 52 balls with ten boundaries to his name.
The duo ensured Indian batters negated Pakistan’s pace attack early on, putting them under immense pressure, before Shadab Khan dismissed Rohit, while Shaheen Shah Afridi sent Gill packing as Virat Kohli and KL Rahul looked to rebuild for India.
The score was 147/2 when the heavens opened up and despite the groundstaff’s excellent work, play couldn’t be resumed as rain continued to play hide and seek.
For the first time since 2019, the Indian team will be playing on a reserve day, with 24.1 overs bowled, Rohit and Co. will be happy that they will get to play the full fifty overs and the match will not be reduced to a 20-over contest.
In the Asia Cup 2023 so far, the Indian team have yet to bowl their full fifty overs till date, their first group stage game against Pakistan was washed out without the Indian bowlers getting to bowl a single delivery.
Against Nepal, the Men in Blue bowled out their opposition before the full stipulated fifty overs could be bowled, and against Pakistan, Indian batting was interrupted at 147/2 but they will get to bat the complete fifty overs - rain permitting - on the reserve day.
Virat was batting at 8 off 16, while Rahul was batting at 17 off 28, as the Indian pair will look to start afresh on the reserve day hoping to build on the platform set by the Indian openers.