COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Rivals India and Pakistan will resume their rain-hit Asia Cup clash on Monday after no more play was possible Sunday with India at 147-2 in 24.1 overs.
After a heavy downpour at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, ground staff had targeted a restart at 9 p.m. local time for the Super Four game. But more rain forced the umpires to call off play 15 minutes before the rescheduled start.
The reserve day was activated with 50 overs scheduled for each team — weather permitting.
India was put into bat after Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave their side a terrific start by adding 121 runs for the first wicket in just 100 deliveries. India’s top order had struggled against Pakistan’s pace attack in the group game between the teams at Pallekele last week.
Rohit was slow off the blocks but the introduction of spin got him going as he cut loose, hitting Shadab Khan for two sixes and a four in successive balls.
Rohit reached his half-century in the next over against Shadab (1-45 in 6.1 overs), pulling the leg-spinner for six over mid-wicket. His half-century came off just 42 balls.
Gill, meanwhile, was confident against the quicks and had brought up his half-century in only 37 balls with 10 fours
The partnership was broken soon after the drinks break. Rohit attempted to hit Shadab over covers, but ended up hitting straighter and Faheem Ashraf sprinted to his left from long-off to take a good catch.
Both India’s openers were back in the pavilion by the next over. Gill failed to spot a cutter from Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-37 in five overs) and was too early on his shot and ended up spooning an easy catch to Agha Salman.
Virat Kohli was unbeaten on eight while K.L. Rahul was 17 not out.
India made two changes from the side that beat Nepal in their first-round game. K.L. Rahul, who missed the group games, is back in the side in place of Shreyas Iyer while Jasprit Bumrah, who had flown back to India and missed the Nepal game due to personal reasons, replaced Mohammad Shami.
Pakistan opted to play an unchanged side, sticking to the same eleven that had beaten Bangladesh in their first Super Four game in Lahore.
The first-round game between India and Pakistan was washed out.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
