Pakistan have qualified for the Super 4s as the rain plays spoilsports in the third match of the Asia Cup at the Pallekele Stadium on Saturday.
The hopes of the fans were dampened as there was no result from the match. However, Pakistan and India shared one point each as rain played spoilsport.
Pakistan now have three points, but India will have to win their next match against Nepal on September 4 (Monday) to qualify for the Super Four stages.
Pakistan did not get the opportunity to chase the equation of 267 runs due to the rainfall.
INDIA INNINGS
Hardik Pandya’s scintillating 90-ball 87 and Ishan Kishan scintillating 81-ball 82 powered India to 266 in the third match of the Asia Cup at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
When the thriller between the two teams begin, the rain had interrupted the match. But Pakistan were dominating India with the bowl. India four down at one stage. Shaheen Shah Afridi applied coup de grace against the Indian heavyweights – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill.
But, Kishan and Pandya showed great resilience and help their side to post a challenging total for Pakistan at the placid track. On the other side, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf were absolutely lethal with the leather and bundled out India for 266, with seven balls to spare.
Pandya and Kishan racked up 138-run partnership off just 141 to rebound their team.
For India, Rohit Sharma (11), Shubman Gill (10), Virat Kohli (4), Shreyas Iyer (14), Ravindra Jadeja (14), Shardul Thakur (3), Kuldeep Yadav (4) and Jasprit Bumrah (16) failed to show any significant resistance with the bat.
Pakistan bowling department was ably spearheaded by Shaheen Shah Afridi (4-35), who gave the Indian batters no room whatsoever and bagged four wickets.
Naseem Shah (3-36) and Haris Rauf (3-58) picked up three wickets apiece.
There was nothing special for the spinners as none of them managed to picked up a wicket. Shadab Khan (0-57), Mohammad Nawaz (0-55) and Agha Salman (0-21) remained wicketless.
In a rivalry steeped in history and emotions, the capricious weather is playing an unexpected role in shaping the narrative of this crucial encounter.
Shardul Thakur falls shortly as Naseem strikes
Shardul Thakur made his way back to the pavilion by scoring merely 3 (3). Naseem Shah was brilliant with the bowl and confused Thakur in no time.
Shaheen Afridi bags wickets of Pandya, Jadeja
In the 43rd over, Shaheen Shah Afridi got better of “dangerous” Hardik Pandya (87 off 90) and Ravindra Jadeja (14 of 22).
Pandya was absolutely lethal with the bat and treated the Pakistan bowling attack with utter contempt. In his blistering knock, Pandya smashed seven boundaries and one towering six.
Haris Rauf gets better of Ishan Kishan
The short of a length worked for Haris Rauf against Ishan Kishan, who played brilliantly, scoring 81-ball 82, lacing with nine boundaries and two towering sixes.
Mohammad Hafeez says 270-run target can be red zone for Pakistan
Earlier, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez said, “If India will post 270-run target against Pakistan in these conditions, it will not be easy for Pakistan to chase the total in these conditions”.
Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan treat Pakistan bowlers with contempt
Following the loss of Gill, Ishan Kishan found an able ally in Hardik Pandya, who formed a brilliant partnership over 80 runs in a bid to take their team out of the doldrums against the arch-rivals.
Haris Rauf befuddled Shubman Gill
In the 15th over, Haris Rauf befuddled Shubman Gill, who never looked settled at the work and scored merely 32-ball 10.
Shaheen Afridi bowls out Rohit Sharma
In the eagerly awaited Asia Cup 2023 match, the star Pakistani fast bowler, Shaheen Afridi, clean bowled two great ODI batters in just four balls!
He made a significant breakthrough by dismissing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli shortly after the rain interruption.
Rohit Sharma commenced his innings with two magnificent boundaries, but his time at the crease was abruptly ended by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Following a rain interruption, Virat Kohli partnered with Shubman Gill in the middle, and India suffered a wicket loss soon after play resumed.
Just as the raindrops threatened to wash away hopes, the spirits of the players and fans alike remained undaunted. Now, after the skies have cleared and the ground has dried, the stage is set for the resumption of this epic rivalry.
Rain halts epic Pakistan-India showdown
Cricketing rivalry on hold; Pitch perfect but weather not
The much-anticipated clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India in the 2023 Asia Cup took an unexpected turn as Mother Nature decided to play a pivotal role in the showdown.
As the cricketing titans were about to face off on the hallowed grounds, a deluge descended upon the venue, disrupting what promised to be a high-octane battle between two cricketing powerhouses.
The rain will not only drench the pitch but also leave fans from both nations on tenterhooks, hoping for a break in the weather to witness the marquee event of the tournament.
India won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan in the high-intensity match of the Asia Cup 2023 at Pallekele Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Excitement is in the air as the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2023 is just around the corner, and the stage is set for an electrifying clash between two arch-rivals, Pakistan and India.
With a history of intense rivalry and memorable encounters. both sides don’t play against each other often, and whenever they do, emotions reach a fever pitch, stadiums sell out quickly, and the matches are frequently marred by controversies.
This epic encounter marks their first One-Day International (ODI) face-off since the memorable 2019 World Cup showdown, and cricket enthusiasts from around the globe are already at the edge of their seats in anticipation.
The two teams have faced off in T20 matches before, but now, both are preparing for the big 50-over World Cup.
The national team has already played a match in the tournament and defeated Nepal by 238 runs in the competition opener.
As the clock ticks down to the highly anticipated showdown, cricket enthusiasts are gearing up for a spectacle like no other.
Pakistani fans are fervently hoping for their team to triumph over their arch-rivals, India. Simultaneously, they yearn to witness an exhibition of breathtaking cricketing skills.
Indian fans, on the other hand, have their eyes set on their formidable batting lineup, eager to see their stars pile on the pressure against Pakistan.
Playing XI
Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah.
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