Asia Cup – India-Pakistan match changed to reserve day due to rain, Rohit and Gill scored fifties

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Colombo,.
Under sunny skies in Colombo, skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill hit quickfire half-centuries but heavy rain later forced the Asia Cup Super Four match to be turned into a reserve day.
A few days back, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had added a reserve day only for this tie, as R.K. The game was predicted to be canceled due to rain at the Premadasa Stadium. As things stand now, Reserve Day will be in play, with the game being held up on Monday due to restart.
It started raining at 4:53 pm, causing play to be stopped. India’s score was 147/2 in 24.1 overs – Rohit Sharma scored 56, while Gill scored 58. An inspection was scheduled for 7:30 pm, before a second inspection was scheduled for 8 pm, but more work is needed due to wet patches at long-on, point and square leg.
Ground staff used sponges and sawdust to dry the wet patches and a combination of three wings mounted on a wheeled frame to remove moisture from the patches. With the cut-off for the start of 20-over play being 10:36 pm, another inspection was scheduled for 8:30 pm.
The best-case scenario would have been a 34-over game if the match had started at 9 p.m., but rain spoiled those plans, forcing the covers to come back. The umpires then decided that the 50-over game would be played on the reserve day.
This means India will play three days in a row, with their next Super Four match against Sri Lanka on September 12 at the same venue. When both the teams were playing their league stage match at Pallekele on 2nd September, there was no result due to incessant rain.
Before it started raining, Sharma and Gill displayed a brilliant display of strokeplay to baffle Pakistan’s bowlers in their 121-run opening partnership. Sharma shook Pakistan off the last ball of the opening over by smashing Shaheen Shah Afridi for a six over square leg.
Although there was little movement on the pitch, Sharma and Gill were positive in their footwork and danced on the pitch, which reflected in their strokeplay as well. After Sharma dismissed Naseem Shah through extra cover for four runs, Gill did not let Afridi survive with three brilliant fours from mid-off to fine leg.
Naseem held one end firmly with his precise line and length, even as Gill hit three more fours off Shaheen, who switched to a round the wicket angle and sprayed it full in search of swing. Gill’s luck was also on his side when the outside edge of Naseem’s ball went between two fielders standing in the slip for the boundary.
Gill was a very different player from his struggles against the same bowling line-up last week, feasting on short balls from Faheem Ashraf and Haris Rauf to reach his half-century off just 37 balls. Sharma flicked Naseem before welcoming Rauf with his trademark pull to put more pressure on Pakistan. The introduction of spin did not give Pakistan the desired result, as Sharma hit Shadab Khan for back-to-back sixes. Pulled, before scoring four more runs to take 19 runs from the leg spinner’s opening over. Sharma completed his half-century in just 42 balls by hitting Shadab for six over deep midwicket, followed by another cut for four runs. But Shadab made a comeback in the 17th over and had Sharma trapped leg-before on the off side. Instigated to apply brakes. The Indian captain moved towards loft but was caught by the long-off fielder running 10 meters to his left. One out and two runs for Pakistan as Gill bowled Shaheen’s slower ball to cover.K.L. Rahul, playing his first competitive game on May 1 after a right thigh injury, was brilliant in his timing to pull Shaheen and Haris to boundaries at midwicket. He and Virat Kohli were motoring on eight and 17 respectively before rain came to halt the day’s proceedings.
Brief Score:India 147/2 in 24.1 overs against Pakistan (Shubman Gill 58, Rohit Sharma 56, Shaheen Shah Afridi 1-37, Shadab Khan 1-45)

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