India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup: Rain the winner as match called off
Hello and welcome to The Federal’s live coverage of India vs Pakistan ODI match in Asia Cup 2023. Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka is the venue for today’s (September 2) blockbuster clash.
India are opening their Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan while the Babar Azam-led side comes into this contest with a huge win over Nepal in their opener.
Read our India vs Pakistan match preview by senior cricket writer R Kaushik, here
With India-Pakistan clashes very few in recent times, fans are eagerly waiting for today’s game, which will be the first ODI between the sides since the ICC World Cup 2019 in England. However, during this four-year period they had played 4 T20Is in the Asia Cup and in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
In the last 5 ODI meetings from 2017 to 2019, India hold a 4-1 lead. Who will come out on top today? There is a threat of rain. Will the weather play spoilsport? Catch all the action here on The Federal.
It is a disappointing end to a contest that could have been a close one. India made 266, a great recovery from 66/4. However, Pakistan's run chase was a non-starter as rain played spoilsport. India and Pakistan share one point each. India's next match is against Nepal on Monday (September 4). The result has ensured Pakistan's entry into the Super Fours from Group A.
We are now entering that phase where the match could be called off. The rain should stop in the next 15 minutes (10 PM) so that the ground is ready before the cut off time 10:27 PM IST.
Match officials are on the ground checking when they can restart. The covers are off.
For the first time in Asia Cup ODI history, all 10 wickets have been taken by fast bowlers.
It's raining again in Pallekele. Take a look at the full scorecard of India's innings.
Fast bowling trio of Shaheen Shah Africi (4/35), Naseem Shah (3/36) and Haris Rauf (3/58) shared the spoils. They had India in all sorts of trouble early on at 66/4 but Hardik Pandya (87) and Ishan Kishan (82) added 138 runs for the fifth wicket to help the team cross the 250-run mark. Pakistan now need 267 runs to win.
Shah gets another wicket as Bumrah is gone for 16 off 14. India could not bat the full quota of 50 overs.