The high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2023 was halted due to rain after 24.1 overs, with India at 147 for 2. The match will resume today, the reserve day, from the same point.
The match, brimming with excitement, had witnessed Pakistan's bowlers successfully dismantling the opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill by the 20th over.
Despite these crucial breakthroughs, the solid foundation laid by the Indian team now rests on the shoulders of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, as they aim to build on this platform.
These consecutive wickets have injected renewed enthusiasm into the Pakistani team, affectionately known as the Green Shirts, as they strive to limit India's total to a manageable target.
Pak win toss
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and chose to field against their arch-rivals, India, on a sunny Sunday in Colombo.
After winning the toss, Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, announced his decision to bowl first. This strategic move aimed to capitalize on the pitch conditions and put pressure on the Indian batting lineup.
Speaking about the decision, Babar Azam said, "We have a strong bowling lineup, and we believe the conditions favor our bowlers today. We're looking forward to chasing a target and securing a win."
This high-stakes encounter has captured the imagination of cricket enthusiasts globally, promising a spectacle filled with excitement, rivalry, and anticipation.
1st over
In the opening over, a near-perfect start was marred by a six off the last ball, following five dot balls. Shaheen Shah Afridi maintained a consistent full and straight delivery line. Rohit Sharma appeared cautious while facing the Pakistani pacer. At the end of the first over, India's score stood at six without any loss of wickets.
2nd
During the second over, the ball took an edge off Shubman Gill's bat and flew towards third man, narrowly missing Shaheen. However, Rohit Sharma showcased his batting prowess with an excellent stroke over the covers, collecting five runs from the over. After two overs, India's score reached 11 without losing any wickets.
3rd
In the third over, Shaheen Shah Afridi faced a challenging situation as Shubman Gill struck consecutive boundaries off the first two balls. Gill secured his second boundary of the game with a thick inside edge while attempting a flick over the mid-on region.
On the fifth ball, he once again took on the left-arm pacer, driving the ball towards the straight boundary. As a result, India's total advanced to 23 runs after the third over, with 12 runs coming from this over.#
4th
During the fourth over, Naseem delivered a wide ball on the fifth delivery, which allowed the Indian batsmen to add a single to their score. Babar Azam, in a bid to challenge a not-out decision made by the on-field umpire, called for a review after Naseem's fifth ball appeared to miss the edge of Rohit Sharma's bat.
However, upon careful examination by the TV umpire, the decision was upheld, and Sharma remained at the crease. As a result, India's total stands at 24 runs without any wickets lost.
5th
In the fifth over, Shubman Gill confidently stepped down the pitch and, on the second ball bowled by Shaheen, sent it soaring over long-on for an impressive boundary. With Afridi opting to change his angle and come around the wicket to the Indian batsman, Gill responded by hitting two consecutive fours over the cover region.
The Indian batsmen are clearly gaining momentum against Shaheen, and the scoreboard now reads 37 runs without any wickets lost.
6th
The sixth over concluded with a maiden from Naseem, demonstrating the young pacer's ability to maintain a consistent line and generate movement in both directions, posing a challenge to the Indian batsmen.
Rohit Sharma, exercising patience, refrained from making contact with the ball throughout the over. As a result, India's total remains at 37 runs without the loss of any wickets.
7th
A change in the field as Shaheen walked off due to potential damage to his left fingers caused by Naseem's first ball of the inning.
Faheem stepped in to replace Shaheen in the seventh over, which yielded just a single run. Faheem delivered an effective over, and India's score remains at 37 runs without any wickets lost.
8th
Naseem faced some tough moments in the eighth over as two boundaries were scored off his bowling, pushing India's total to 47 runs without any wickets lost. Shubman Gill showcased his skill by using his wrist to guide Naseem's delivery over the point area for a boundary.
However, Naseem was a bit unlucky as an edge off Shubman's bat narrowly evaded both the first and second slip fielders.
9th
In the ninth over, Shubman Gill took charge against Faheem, finding the gap between cover and point fielder to score a boundary. A well-timed double off the second-last delivery of the over added six runs to India's total. As a result, India now stands at 53 runs without any wickets lost.
10th
In the 10th over, Rohit Sharma initiated an aggressive assault against Naseem, consecutively sending the ball to the boundary over the mid-on region.
With a flick and a pull shot, Rohit accumulated eight runs off Naseem's fifth over. As the powerplay came to an end, India's total reached 61 runs without any wickets lost.
11th
Indian batsmen have settled into a rhythm, effectively rotating the strike. During this over, they managed to collect four singles, along with a boundary by Shubman Gill down the fine leg. With this boundary, India reached their 13th boundary of the match. The scoreboard now reads 69 runs without the loss of any wickets.
12th
In a strategic move, the captain introduced the express pacer, Haris Rauf, into the attack. Rohit Sharma attempted to hook Haris on the last delivery of the over but ended up edging it over the boundary, just behind the wicketkeeper. This brought eight runs from the first over bowled by Haris Rauf, further boosting India's total to 77 runs without any wickets lost.
13th
In what marked Shadab Khan's first over of the innings, Gill accomplished a well-deserved half-century. The young batsman exhibited remarkable finesse, accumulating a total of 10 boundaries in this over alone.
However, in the same over, Shadab was met with an aggressive response, conceding two sixes and a boundary on the last delivery, tallying 19 runs for the over. India's run rate continued to surge, reaching 96 without the loss of a wicket.
14th
During Haris's second over, five extra runs were added to India's total due to a wide delivery and a short delivery that led to a double. Seven runs were amassed from this over.
The century partnership for the opening pair of the Indian team was achieved, with India's score standing at 103 runs without losing a wicket after 14 overs.
15th
Rohit Sharma sustained the aggressive momentum against Shadab Khan as the first two deliveries from the leg-spinner yielded 10 runs. Two singles were also added, accumulating 12 runs for the over. Remarkably, the Indian side managed to score 54 runs in the last five overs. Consequently, India's total climbed to 115 runs without any loss of wickets.
16th
In the 16th over, Haris managed to collect three runs, taking the Indian total to 118 runs without any wickets lost. Both Sharma and Gill appear to be finding their rhythm as they settle in for the latter part of the first innings.
After the 16th over, the players take a break for drinks.
17th
A crucial breakthrough occurs in the 17th over. Shadab delivers a decisive blow, dismissing Rohit, who attempted to loft the ball over long off but failed to execute the shot effectively.
Faheem Ashraf sprints to his left to secure an important catch for the Pakistani team. Rohit departs the field after contributing 56 runs from 49 deliveries.
Now, the indomitable Virat Kohli steps onto the pitch.
18th
Another breakthrough takes place in the following over. After Rohit's dismissal, the skipper made a wise decision to reintroduce Shaheen into the attack.
The pacer, who conceded 31 runs in his initial spell, successfully dismissed the well-settled Gill, who tried to flick a slower off-cutter directly into Shadab's waiting hands. Shaheen's fourth over yields two runs and a wicket, leaving India at 124 for the loss of two wickets at the end of the 18th over.
19th
KL Rahul stepped onto the pitch following Shubman Gill's departure, and both Rahul and Kohli were focused on rotating the strike. Shadab's fourth over produced six runs, pushing the Indian total to 131 for the loss of two wickets.
20th
Rahul executed a front-of-square pull shot for a boundary off Shaheen's fifth delivery in the 20th over. This propelled the Indian score to 135 for two by the conclusion of the 20th over.
21st
Shadab delivered an excellent 21st over, conceding only two runs. Pakistan aimed to stem the flow of runs as India's current run rate remained above 6 per over. India reached a total of 137 for the loss of two wickets.
22nd
Babar Azam reintroduced Haris Rauf into the attack in an attempt to secure wickets. The pacer consistently bowled a good length during his spell. Haris had a productive over, giving away only three runs. After the 22nd over, India's score stood at 140 for the loss of two wickets.
23rd
Pakistan maintained pressure on the Indian side. Shadab bowled a maiden over in the 23rd, keeping the Indian total at 140 for the loss of two wickets.
24th
The ground staff found themselves caught off guard as a sudden downpour arrived. However, they quickly mobilized and brought in the covers. Even Fakhar Zaman joined in to assist with covering the pitch. As I type these words, the rain has intensified rapidly, shifting from a moderate drizzle to a torrential downpour within minutes.
Weather forecast
However, a slight cause for concern looms as the weather forecast for today indicates a 90 percent chance of rain. While fans hope for clear skies, the possibility of rain could introduce an unpredictable element to the contest.
Milestone alert
On the individual front, Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, stands on the brink of a remarkable achievement. He needs just one century to match the legendary Saeed Anwar's record of scoring 20 centuries in ODIs. Fans and cricket pundits alike will closely monitor his performance today.
Meanwhile, on the Indian side, Ravindra Jadeja is closing in on a significant milestone of his own. He requires just three wickets to complete 200 ODI wickets, a feat that would make him the third Indian spinner to achieve
this remarkable milestone. His all-round contribution with both bat and ball will be crucial to India's prospects.
Playing XI
Pakistan
Babar Azam led Pakistan have announced their Playing 11 ahead of their Super Four match against India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday (September 10, 2023).
The two teams had met the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy for a group-stage face-off but the match had ended without a result with rain playing spoilsport. Apart from skipper Babar, Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar, Salman Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are the 11 chosen to take the field against India today.
India
Following his absence from the game against Nepal due to the birth of his first child, Bumrah has now rejoined the team for the Super Four round. He is expected to make a return to the starting XI, alongside Rahul. This means that there might not be a place for both Mohammed Shami and Kishan in the lineup.
The probable India XI for the upcoming match is as follows
Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (capt), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
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