Kandy (Web Desk): Match called off as rain delayed Pakistan vs India Asia Cup clash at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Pakistan didn't get a chance to bat after India set a target of 267.
a4161da3adc70210ed3e760f4f875e4d
The washout resulted in both teams sharing the points with one point for each, that also means that Pakistan have qualified for the Super 4 stage of the tournament because of the victory against Nepal.
002e747ec25f82e27cbbb32f5b4f6a8c
Earlier, India set a target of 267 runs for Pakistan after winning the toss, India opted to bat first against Pakistan and were all out for 266 runs in 48.5 overs.
The blues lost four wickets with 66 runs on the board in 14.1 overs as exceptional bowling by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
With key players, skipper Rohit Shasrma, Virat Kohli, Shbman Gill and Shreyas Iyer back in the hut, Ishan Kishan (82) and Pandya (87) steadied the ship by stitching 138 runs partnership.
Following the dismissal of Pandya and Kishan, the tail order could not maintain the momentum as Jedeja (14) and Thakur (3) were removed by Afrid and Naseem Shah.
The high-voltage match promised to be a thrilling battle between the Pakistani pacers and Indian batters.
However, the fears that rain may disrupt the game materialised as the match was halted first in the fourth over, with India already having made 15 runs.
The match was interrupted, once again, when India were 51-3 during the 11th over. However, the game was resumed soon after.
Again, rain returned for the third time to Kandy during the innings break at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium, the third time rain resulted in abandonment of the match.
903cc9d70ffd30340fad66ddafceec85
Shaheen Afridi took four, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf took three wickets each, this deadly bowling attack by these amazing three pacers of green shirts made history that first time in Asia Cup (ODI) history that all 10 wickets have been taken by pacers
ce603d311fb49dff887a940e64e99869
The Babar Azam-led Pakistani side was looking strong which is currently the number 1 ranked international team. Pakistan had also convincingly defeated Nepal during the opening match of Asia Cup 2023 by 238 runs owing to centuries by skipper Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed along with an exceptional bowling performance by all-rounder Shadab Khan.
India, on the other hand, will be fielding a full-strength side in a long time with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer returning from injury.
The last time the two teams face each other in a 50-over match was in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 where the Blues emerged victorious.
Even in their most recent clash at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia during the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2022, India won.
Even rain has called of today's match, the arch-rivals will meet once again on September 10 in the Super Four stage, if India win their final group game against Nepal on September 4.
In Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan and India are in Group A with Nepal, while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are in Group B with Afghanistan.
GROUP A
GROUP B
Asia Cup schedule of remaining matches
Group Stages
Sept 3 - Bangladesh vs Afghanistan in Lahore at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 4 - India vs Nepal in Kandy at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 5 - Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka in Lahore at 2:30 pm (PST)
Super 4s
Sept 6 - A1 vs B2 in Lahore at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 9 - B1 vs B2 in Colombo at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 10 - A1 vs A2 in Colombo at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 12 - A2 vs B1 in Colombo at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 14 - A1 vs B1 in Colombo at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 15 - A2 vs B2 in Colombo at 2:30 pm (PST)
Sept 17 - Final in Colombo at 2:30 pm (PST)
