For the second time in ten days, rain played spoilsport as two of the fiercest rivals in world cricket, India and Pakistan came face to face. Rain played spoilsport during the IND vs. PAK Asia Cup 2023 Group A game, and the rain gods weren’t too kind when the two sides squared off in the Super stage as well. Thankfully, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had arranged a reserve day meaning the contest on Sunday, September 10 wasn’t washed out, instead, it will be decided on the reserve day, Monday, September 11.
For the first time since 2019, the Indian cricket will be playing on a reserve day however, there’s a high chance of rain interrupting the proceedings on Monday as well.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in Colombo at the R. Premadasa Stadium however, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill came out firing on all cylinders.
ALSO READ| ‘Barish ne Bacha Liya’: Shoaib Akhtar Admits Rain Saved Pakistan, Slams Babar Azam For Bowling First
Unlike the group stage clash, Rohit and Shubman both smashed fifties and put together a stand of 121 runs negating the threat of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah with the new ball.
Rohit scored 56 off 49 balls with six boundaries and four maximums while Gill smashed 58 in 52 deliveries, including ten fours. Shadab Khan dismissed the Indian captain while Shaeen removed Gill in the next over to jolt the Men in Blue with successive blows.
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul were trying to rebuild with the score at 147/2 after 24.1 overs when the heavens opened up and the play couldn’t be restarted as rain continued to play hide and seek.
India vs. Pakistan, Asia Cup 2023 Super 4: Weather prediction for Reserve Day
The good news is that despite all the rain on Sunday, no overs were lost and play will resume from where it stopped, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will thus resume batting from 147/2 and the Indian team will get to bat for the full fifty overs.
The bad news is that the rain gods have other ideas and there’s a serious threat of rain playing spoilsport once again on Monday, for the third time in the space of 10 days.
According to Accuweather, there is a 92% percent probability of precipitation and prediction of up to six hours of precipitation on the reserve day in Colombo.
Interestingly, the Indian team have yet to bowl their full quota of fifty overs in Asia Cup 2023 till now, their first game against Pakistan was washed out with the Indian bowlers getting to bowl a single ball.
In the second match, Indian bowlers dismissed Nepal inside 48.2 overs, whereas in the Super 4 clash against Pakistan, it remains to be seen whether the weather will permit Jasprit Bumrah and others to gain some rhythm ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023 at home.