India's innings in the Asia Cup Super 4 match against Pakistan will recommence at 147 for 2 in the 25th over on Monday, following a rain-interrupted day in Colombo on Sunday. The suspension of play occurred at 4.53 PM, and subsequent heavy rainfall prompted the ground staff to work diligently on clearing two patches near the pitch. The umpires, upon evaluating the playing conditions, decided not to resume the game, and a third inspection was scheduled for 8:30 PM. Unfortunately, before the inspection could take place, the rain made a return, further delaying any potential restart.
This India vs. Pakistan match had been allotted a reserve day, but the weather forecast for Monday does not appear to be particularly favorable either. As it currently stands, the match will continue as a 50-overs-a-side contest unless further rain disruptions occur.
India's first encounter in the 2023 Asia Cup against Pakistan on September 2 was abandoned following the first innings. The match against Nepal was also affected by rain, but a result was achieved as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill successfully chased down a revised target.
On Sunday, Pakistan's Babar Azam won the toss and elected to field. Rohit Sharma initiated India's innings with a six against Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Shubman Gill followed up with a superb display of batting prowess against the Pakistani pacers on a favorable pitch.
Ironically, Gill was particularly aggressive against Afridi, who had earlier dropped him off Naseem Shah's bowling. Gill, who has enjoyed an impressive year in ODIs, launched a fierce assault against Afridi, resulting in a strong start for India. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma encountered some difficulties against Naseem Shah but persevered to stay at the crease.
Shubman Gill showcased his exquisite stroke play against Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was eventually removed from the attack after three expensive overs in his initial spell. The introduction of Faheem Ashraf and Haris Rauf helped Pakistan regain control of the run rate, but by then, both of India's openers had settled into their innings.
Babar Azam's defensive field placements allowed Shubman Gill to exploit some peculiar tactics. Rohit Sharma soon found his rhythm, adding to Pakistan's troubles as they faced two high-caliber opening batsmen.
Pakistan's sole spinner, Shadab Khan, proved expensive while taking the wicket of Rohit Sharma, who contributed a 49-ball 56, ending the 121-run opening partnership. Upon Virat Kohli's arrival, Babar Azam called back the left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who promptly dismissed Gill after his 58-run contribution from 52 balls.
Following the departure of the opening pair in successive overs, the focus shifted to Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, who had switched positions with Shreyas Iyer shortly before the toss. Rohit Sharma had announced that Iyer had suffered a back spasm and would not be available for the crucial game.
In contrast to the openers, Virat Kohli (8 not out from 16 balls) and KL Rahul (17 not out from 28 balls) adopted a more defensive approach, avoiding unnecessary risks and allowing Pakistan to regain some momentum. As expected, rain resumed in parts of Colombo, and the players returned to the dressing rooms, marking the beginning of an extended wait for play to resume.
Despite the best efforts of the Sri Lankan ground staff to shield the field from moisture, certain areas became waterlogged. The two umpires, Chris Gaffaney and Ruchira Palliyaguruge, assessed the affected regions twice and had planned for a third inspection at 8.30 PM, at which point the Reserve Day provision would come into play.
This implies that India, who were at the ground on September 10 (Sunday), will return to the field on September 11 (Monday) and September 12 (Tuesday) for their Super 4 match against Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for Monday does not offer much optimism, with a high likelihood of rain from afternoon to evening.
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