Rain played spoilsport in what could have turned out to be a cracking contest as the India-Pakistan Asia Cup Group A game was called off in Pallekele on Saturday. After a couple of brief interruptions during the India innings, the heavens opened up for a third time during the innings break delaying the start of the Pakistan chase. As the wait continued, persistent rains failed to budge down and the match was eventually called off at around 10:05 pm IST. Relentless rain didn’t allow a single ball to be bowled after India made 266 in 48.5 overs.
The Match 3 of Asia Cup 2023 featuring India and Pakistan commenced on Saturday, September 2, at 3.00 pm IST. The match was telecasted live on Star Sports Channels and streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar App.
Both teams take a point each from this game and thanks to their win over Nepal in the opening game, Pakistan have qualified for the Super Four. As far as India is concerned, they are off the mark in the Asia Cup but will have to beat Nepal in their next game to make it to the next stage.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2023: What happens if India vs Pakistan Match is Washed Out?
India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy.
India vs Pakistan Playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
India vs Pakistan Match Highlights
Earlier in the game, after Rohit Sharma called it right and opted to put runs on the board, Pakistan pacers utilized their overcast conditions to their advantage, and India found themselves struggling at 66-4. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya then got together and forged a solid recovery with a 138-run stand. Ishan’s 82 and Hardik’s 87 bailed India out of trouble, putting the pressure back on Pakistan. They were also helped by the bizarre tactic of Babar Azam not bringing the pacers on in the middle overs. However, just as India was setting themselves up for a strong finish, they were pegged back in quick succession by Pakistan’s pace trio. The departure of Pandya triggered a collapse, as India lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs. For Pakistan, their pacers took all 10 wickets, a feat achieved by any team in the Men’s Asia Cup for the very first time. India’s arch-nemesis Shaheen Afridi was the standout bowler with a four-wicket haul. Naseem Shah was unlucky not to get a wicket in his first spell but eventually ended up with three, while Haris Rauf accounted for three wickets as well.
India vs Pakistan Scorecard
IND vs PAK: 3rd Match, Asia Cup 2023
India: 266/10 in 48.5 overs
Pakistan: Didn’t Bat
Result: The match called off due to rain