Rain threatens to spoil India-Pakistan clash in Asia Cup

• There is a high likelihood of rain in Colombo on Sunday, with a 90% chance of precipitation.
• India is eager to finalize their lineup for the Men’s ODI World Cup, and the match against Pakistan is a good opportunity to do so.
• India’s batsmen will face a tough challenge from Pakistan’s pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf.

Since Friday, the Asia Cup has been marred by chaos due to the announcement of a reserve day for the India-Pakistan Super Four clash.

As the two teams prepare to renew their rivalry in Colombo on Sunday, the threat of rain has not diminished. Similar to India’s previous matches affected by rain, there is a high likelihood of a washout in Colombo, with weather forecasts indicating a 90% chance of precipitation for Sunday’s match.

To account for this, there is a reserve day scheduled for the match on Monday, but weather forecasts predict a 100% chance of rain. If, by some miracle, the weather clears up in Colombo, India will be eager to use this opportunity to finalize their lineup for the Men’s ODI World Cup.

India’s top three batsmen, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, seem settled, with Shreyas Iyer returning as the number four batsman. However, the challenge lies in choosing between KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as their first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman.

Rahul has performed consistently well since January 2020, averaging 56.53 as a dependable middle-order batter for India, until a right thigh injury in May this year kept him out of action. While a separate injury prevented him from participating in the Pallekele leg, he has been seen participating in wicketkeeping drills in Colombo, indicating his readiness to take on dual roles. On the other hand, Kishan, a left-handed batsman, has scored four consecutive fifties, including impressive performances as an opener in the West Indies and a sublime 82 under pressure against Pakistan at number five, a position he had never batted in before.

India is also eager to assess the performance of their pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, in ODIs. Bumrah played in the game against Pakistan last week but hasn’t bowled in ODIs since July last year, as he skipped the game against Nepal to be with his family for the birth of his first child.

India’s batsmen will face a tough challenge from Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly the pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, who took all ten wickets at Pallekele. Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan provide additional support. Although Naseem had a scare with a shoulder injury against Bangladesh in the Super Four match in Lahore, he has resumed bowling. All these elements set the stage for an exciting match, provided the rain doesn’t interfere.