02 September,2023 03:41 PM IST | Pallekele | mid-day online correspondent
Players walk off as the covers come on (Pic: @TheRealPCB/X)
Rain halted play as India reached 15 for no loss against Pakistan in the high-octane Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on Saturday.
While skipper Rohit Sharma was batting on 11 off 18 balls, Shubman Gill was yet to open his account after consuming eight balls when rain intervened. Pakistan pace duo of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah bowled with full intensity though the latter got more out of the surface.
Team India won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan with the threat of rain looming over the marquee clash. Intermittent rain all through the morning kept ground staff on their feet in Pallekele, where a thin crowd was seen watching the hotly anticipated 50-over match in a preamble to next month's ODI World Cup.
The sun peeked through the clouds during the toss and Rohit said India, who are playing their opening match of the tournament, were ready to "embrace the challenge".
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Babar Azam's Pakistan crushed Asia Cup debutants Nepal in the tournament opener early this week and named an unchanged team on Friday for the key group contest against their arch-rivals. Azam said he would have also batted first had he won the toss. The match is the first of potentially three tournament clashes between the two giants of Asian cricket.
Fit-again Jasprit Bumrah returned to the ODI team alongside Shreyas Iyer, who is also back from injury. India is playing with three seamers and two spinners. Rohit said that he would not put pressure on Bumrah and would be a key part of the Indian bowling attack and noted that everyone's performance is necessary.
"I think it would not be right to talk about any one player. This is a team, cooperation of all players is necessary in this team. Yes, the performance of some players is very important but it is necessary to keep an eye on everyone. Because if you want to win the tournament then everyone's performance is necessary," he said on 'Khul Ke' YouTube channel in an interview released on Friday.
(With agency inputs)
