The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan witnessed intermittent interruptions due to rain during the first innings on Saturday. The weather forecast in Pallekelle had hinted at overcast conditions before the game’s start, with a slight drizzle causing the pitch to be covered.
Just 13 minutes before the toss, the rain subsided, and the covers were removed, raising hopes of an uninterrupted match. However, after only 4.2 overs into the game, the rain made a comeback, forcing a halt in play with India at 15/0.
During the rain delay, broadcasters attempted to capture a moment with Rohit Sharma near the boundary, but the Indian skipper was less than pleased. Rohit asked them to stop filming and lower the camera, clearly showing his annoyance with the intrusion.
The rain interruption worked in Pakistan’s favor as they swiftly took two crucial wickets when play resumed. Star Pakistani pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi, dismissed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, putting India in a challenging position.
Rohit Sharma had started his innings solidly, even hitting a couple of boundaries off Shaheen’s deliveries. However, the rain break disrupted his flow, and when play resumed, he failed to add any more runs to his score, getting bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi on the final ball of the fifth over.
Rohit, despite the overcast conditions, chose to bat first, expressing his desire for the team to embrace the challenge. He stated, “We are going to bat first. There is a bit of weather around, but can’t think much about it. Got to play good cricket, you need to embrace the challenge, embrace the situation. We had some time off after the West Indies series. Everyone was up for those drills and challenges in Bangalore. Let’s see what we can achieve in this tournament. It’s a quality tournament with quality oppositions. At the end of the day, we need to see what we can achieve as a team. Iyer is back, Bumrah is back, and we got three seamers. Got two spinners – Kuldeep and Jadeja.”
Key Highlights of the Rain-Interrupted Clash:
Here are the key moments and highlights from the India vs Pakistan match:
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| Weather Forecast | Overcast conditions in Pallekelle raised concerns about rain interruptions even before the match started. |
| Rain Delay #1 | Rain briefly halted the game just before the toss, with the pitch covered. |
| Rain Delay #2 | After 4.2 overs, rain returned, leading to another halt in play, with India at 15/0. |
| Rohit’s Displeasure | Rohit Sharma expressed his annoyance when broadcasters attempted to film him during the rain delay. |
| Shaheen’s Double Strike | Shaheen Shah Afridi took crucial wickets, dismissing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. |
| Rohit’s Brief Innings | Rohit Sharma’s promising innings was cut short by the rain break; he was bowled out for 11 runs. |
| Rohit’s Toss Decision | Rohit chose to bat first despite the overcast conditions, emphasizing the need to embrace challenges. |
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting India vs Pakistan encounter in the Asia Cup 2023.