Asia Cup 2023: Rain disrupts marquee India vs Pakistan clash - What comes next
Asia Cup 2023: The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup was halted due to heavy rainfall in Colombo on Sunday, leaving fans eagerly waiting for its continuation. In a match filled with excitement, India's decision to bat and the brilliant performance of openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were the highlights before nature intervened.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill showed their prowess in the first powerplay, both scoring impressive half-centuries. Rohit reached 56 runs, and Gill notched up 58 runs before their dismissals in quick succession. At the time of the rain delay, India was cruising at 147/2 in 24.1 overs. KL Rahul, replacing Shreyas Iyer in the XI, stood unbeaten at 17, with Virat Kohli at the crease on 8.
Due to the unfortunate washout on Sunday, the match is scheduled to resume on Monday from the point where it was suspended. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has made provisions for a reserve day for this crucial India vs Pakistan Super 4 encounter.
In a statement, the ACC declared, "A reserve day has been incorporated for the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4's match between Pakistan and India scheduled to take place on 10th September 2023 at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo."
The statement further clarified, "If adverse weather suspends play during the Pakistan vs India game, the match will continue on 11th September 2023 from the point it was suspended."
It's important to note that there won't be a reserve day for any of the other Super 4 matches in Sri Lanka, highlighting the unique significance of the India-Pakistan encounter.
Last week, the group stage match between India and Pakistan faced a similar fate when rain washed out the entire second innings. Despite the weather challenges, the organizers and cricketing authorities have made exceptions to ensure that this high-stakes rivalry between India and Pakistan, which also translates into significant revenue for broadcasters, gets a fair chance to conclude.
The weather forecast had earlier predicted that rain could disrupt both the match day and the reserve day, with more than 90 percent cloud cover and the possibility of thunderstorms, underscoring the unpredictable nature of cricket in the monsoon season. Fans from both sides will be keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that the weather gods show some mercy and allow this epic encounter to reach its thrilling conclusion.
- With inputs from agencies
