India and Pakistan are gearing up for their second match in the 2023 Asia Cup, which will take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The first match between the two teams was interrupted by rain, and the tournament organisers have decided to keep a reserve day for this fixture. However, this decision has faced criticism from some, including Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha. Despite the reserve day, the match officials will prioritise completing the game on Sunday itself.
The weather forecast for Colombo indicates a high probability of rain throughout the afternoon, with a decrease in chances after sunset. While the morning weather seems promising, the forecast predicts showers in the afternoon, particularly around 3 p.m. The chances of rain increase to 90% by 5 p.m. and are expected to persist for the rest of the day.
In the first match, India won the toss and chose to bat first. However, rain interruptions affected their innings, and they crumbled to 66/4 in 14.1 overs. Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan then put up a remarkable partnership of 138 runs, helping India reach a total of 266. Unfortunately, rain continued to disrupt the match, and Pakistan's chase never took place.
India faces a selection dilemma for the upcoming match, with both KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan fit to play as wicketkeeper-batters. They may also have to decide between Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel based on the pitch conditions. On the other hand, Pakistan will rely on their four-pronged pace attack, consisting of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Faheem Ashraf. The spin department will be led by vice captain Shadab Khan, supported by part-time off-spinners Agha Salman and Iftikhar Ahmed.
Overall, the match between India and Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup is eagerly anticipated. However, the weather forecast suggests a high likelihood of rain, which may lead to delays or even a shift to the reserve day on Monday. The match officials will strive to complete the game on Sunday itself, but if that is not possible, play will resume from where it stopped on Monday.
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