Rain plays spoilsport in India-Pakistan clash

The rain had the final say in the Asia Cup Group A encounter between India and Pakistan at Pallekele. The showers didn’t relent after India posted 266 in the first innings, washing out the entirety of the Pakistan chase without a single ball bowled to give both sides a point each in their group. As a result, Pakistan secured their qualification to the Super Four Stage, while India need to beat Nepal on Monday to join their neighbours in the next round.

Before the rain played spoilsport, though, both sides delivered some pulsating action throughout the Indian innings. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Indian openers endured a stiff examination by the Pakistani seamers in tricky, overcast conditions. Shaheen Afridi failed to hit his lengths initially, with Rohit Sharma manufacturing a couple of early boundaries but made the right adjustment after a slight rain delay to trouble the Indian top order.

The left-armer set up Rohit Sharma expertly in the fifth over, getting a pair of deliveries to nip away from the opener before seaming one back in off the surface to clean up the Indian skipper. Virat Kohli opened his account with a trademark cover drive but chopped on in Afridi’s next over to reduce India to 27/2.

Making his return to the side after injury, Shreyas Iyer showed some aggression early on to throw Pakistan off their lengths, but the number four ended up pulling a long hop from Haris Rauf to midwicket to depart for 14. Rauf also accounted for Shubman Gill after another rain break, ending the opener’s troubled stay at the crease with a fuller delivery that he edged onto his stumps.

The Men in Blue were in danger of folding early at 66/4, but Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya rescued team India with a vital 138-run stand for the fifth wicket. The introduction of spin at both ends offered some relief, with the pair happy to milk the singles against Shadab Khan and Mohammed Nawaz through the middle to bring India back into the contest.

Kishan impressed in his new middle-order role, bringing up his fourth consecutive ODI half-century, while Hardik Pandya looked good for his maiden ODI century as he began to change through the gears after passing fifty.

However, the reintroduction of the pacers allowed Pakistan to regain control of the match as Kishan perished to Haris Rauf on 82, while Hardik Pandya was undone by a Shaheen Afridi slower ball for 87. Afridi also nicked off Ravindra Jadeja before Naseem Shah picked up the final three wickets to wrap up the Indian tail for 266, but the rain denied Pakistan a chance to begin their reply, forcing both sides to settle for a draw.