India vs Pak Asia Cup 2023: Match called off due to rain; Pakistan advance to Super 4 stage

The Asia Cup 2023 match between India and arch-rivals Pakistan was called off due to rain and a wet outfield.

Pallekele (Sri Lanka): The India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup was on Saturday night called off due to persistent rains and a wet outfield by the match officials. The two teams shared points and Pakistan advanced to the Super 4 stage, having won their first game against Nepal by 238 runs.

Earlier, India was bundled out for a competitive 266 against arch-rivals Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2023 opener which was played in Sri Lanka's Pallekele. India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to bat first in the contest between the two Asian Giants and they rode on scintillating half-centuries by wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya. Ishan Kishan (82) and Hardik Pandya stitched a crucial 138 stand for the fifth wicket, which pulled the 'Men in Blue' out of the trouble after they were reeling at 66/4 at one stage.

For Pakistan, it was their pacers, who wreaked havoc and got all the Indian wickets. Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf shared the wickets.

The Pakistan innings could not start due to consistent rains and eventually, the match was abandoned. This is the fifth no result between the two teams in their 133rd clash.

These were the updates:

• 9.52 pm
  The India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 match has been called off by match officials due to rain and a wet outfield. The points have been shared among the two teams.
• 9.48 pm
  The drizzle is still continuing at the Pallekele International Stadium and the match officials are having discussion among them.
• 9.17 pm
  It has once again started to pour down heavily at the stadium and hence the Pakistan innings has not been able to commence.
• 8.45 pm
  The match officials, including the on-field umpires, met the captains and coaches of both teams in their respective dressing rooms and the next inspection is scheduled at 9 pm local time.
• 8.30 pm
  It is currently raining heavily at the Pallekale International Stadium as the ground is covered. It has delayed the start of Pakistan's chase, who need 267 runs to register their second victory of the tournament.
• 7.45 pm
  Jasprit Bumrah (16) was the last man to be dismissed as India was bundled out for 266 in 48.5 overs. All wickets were taken by Pakistani pacers with Shaheen Afridi being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 10-2-35-4, with an economy of 3.50.
• 7.44 pm
  It was Shaheen Afridi, who scalped his third wicket when he dismissed Hardik Pandya for 87 in the 44th over. India lost their sixth wicket for 239. India lost another two wickets in quick succession with Ravindra Jadeja (14), Shardul Thakur (3), and Kuldeep Yadav (4) also walking back to the pavilion.
• 7.08 pm
  All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja joined Hardik, who upped the ante. Hardik was nearing his maiden ODI hundred even as after 42 overs, India was poised at 237/5. The left-handed batter from Saurashtra was playing his role to perfection.
• 6.49 pm
  Ishan Kishan was dismissed after a well-made 82 off just 81 balls. Ishan, who hit nine fours and two sixes, went for a pull shot off pacer Haris Rauf but was caught by rival skipper Babar Azam. Haris Rauf, who earned his third wicket, was able to provide the much-needed breakthrough for Pakistan. Ishan and Hardik conjured 138 runs for the fifth wicket, which helped India to storm back into the game.
• 6.44 pm
  India completed 200 in the 37th over after Hardik Pandya earned two runs off Mohammed Nawaz.
• 6.30 pm
  29-year-old Hardik Pandya also completed a well-deserved fifty after Ishan Kishan as the two have resurrected the India innings. Hardik Pandya notched up his 11 ODI fifty with a single on the last ball of the 34th over off Agha Salman. Their partnership has allowed India to come back into the game and the Rahul Dravid-coached side is now looking at a 300-run total.
• 6.27 pm
  Ishan Kishan continued to attack the Pakistani bowlers. He hit a six off Mohammed Nawaz. Ishan and Hardik completed a hundred-run stand and pulled India out of the initial trouble. The Jharkhand batter had all shots in his books, including the sweeps, as the crowd vociferously cheered for them.
• 6.13 pm
  25-year-old Patna-born Ishan Kishan brought up his fifty with a cheeky single off Shadab Khan in the 29th. His eighth ODI half-century has come at a time when India needed the most. He and Hardik are looking settled as India eyes at least the 275-run mark.
• 5.52 pm
  Hardik Pandya, who started slowly, then got into his groove. He is playing with caution as the situation of the math is demanding. The all-rounder has raced to 32 off just 37 balls.
• 5.43 pm
  Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya stitched up an unbeaten 50 run-stand in 52 balls as they brought the Men in Blue back into contention.
• 5.31 pm
  India reached the team 100 mark in the 20th over after Hardik Pandya took a single. Ishan Kishan continued to hammer ball balls.
• 5.22 pm
  Left-handed batter Ishan Kishan continued to hit odd boundaries even as Hardik Pandya played second fiddle. The Jharkhand stumper has been showing intent as he promises to rebuild the innings with his former Mumbai Indians team-mate Hardik, who represents Baroda in the domestic circuit.
• 5.15 pm
  Ishan Kishan, who is looking aggressive from the start, has already smashed three boundaries and six, as he along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya are trying to steady the ship.
• 5.07 pm
  Opener Shubman Gill (10 off 32 balls), who had been looking rusty since the start, was also cleaned up by Haris Rauf on the first ball of the 14th over. The Punjab batter tried to defend a good-length ball but got an inside edge which dragged onto the stumps.
• 4.38 pm
  Rain halted play for the second time during the India versus Pakistan match as the entire field was covered and players back into the pavilion. Pakistan pacers led by Shaheen Afridi (2/15) have wreaked havoc so far and are on top.
• 4.30 pm
  Shreyas Iyer (14) pulled a short ball by Haris Rauf straight to Fakhar Zaman at mid-wicket. Zaman showed some sharp reflexes. India have lost their third batter inside the first 10 overs.

• 4.20 pm
  Shreyas Iyer started in an aggressive fashion, hammering two boundaries, including a cover drive off Harris Rauf in the 8th over.
• 4.04 pm
  Former skipper Virat Kohli (4) walked in at number three and started off with a glorious cover drive off Naseem Shah. But his stay at the crease was cut short by Shaheen Afridi. Virat Kohli tried to punch his short of a length outside the off delivery but ended up getting an inside edge that hit the stumps. It was a double delight for pacer Shaheen Afridi as Pakistan celebrated the two important breakthroughs. India was reeling at 27/2.
• 3.59 pm
  Rohit Sharma (11 off 22) was cleaned up by Shaheen Afridi. Afridi's delivery nipped back in to beat Rohit Sharma's defence. Rohit Sharma walked back to the dressing room.
• 3.56 pm
  Play has resumed after a short 30-minute odd forced break due to the rain. The covers were taken off after inspection by the on-field umpires.
• 3.23 pm
  Rain stopped the play during the India versus Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 match after just 26 balls in the game. The entire ground was covered as players walked back to the dressing room. India is poised at 15/0 after 4.2 overs, with skipper Rohit Sharma unbeaten on 11, with two boundaries, while Shubman Gill is yet to open his account.
• 3.17 pm
  In the third over, Rohit Sharma, who has tons of experience, flicked an inswinger, which raced to the deep backward square-leg fence. It is looking like Rohit is in his element and so far has won the short battle against Shaheen on a track, where the ball is coming nicely to the bat. Shubman is yet to open his account. After three overs, India is 14/0.
• 3.10 pm
  India is poised at 9/0 after the second over, which pacer Naseem Shah bowled.
• 3.02 pm
  Skipper and talented right-handed batter Rohit Sharma was off the mark with an uppish flick, which raced to the boundary in the first over off left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi. The square-leg fielder did well to get his hands to the ball but failed to latch onto it. Rohit got a life in the very first over. India is 6/0 after the first over.

• 2.54 pm
  Both the teams line up for the National Anthems along with the match officials. India is playing Pakistan after over four years in an ODI game.