<p>At the coin toss of the India-Pakistan Super 4 meet in the ongoing Asia Cup, in Colombo, Indian fans were dealt with a major blow as Rohit Sharma revealed that No. 4 batter Shreyas Iyer is out of the clash due to a back spasm. Iyer returned to international cricket after a long gap after a back injury. So far, he got only one opportunity with the bat -- in India's tournament opener where he scored 14 versus arch-rivals Pakistan -- and, thus, was being keenly observed for the remainder of the competition. But his back concerns have resurfaced.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With less than a month left for the ODI World Cup, which kicks off on October 05 in west Indian city of Ahmedabad, Team India cannot afford to be unsure of their middle order due to Iyer's injury concerns.</p>

<p>Former cricketers 'Little Master' Sunil Gavaskar and Harbhajan Singh reacted to Iyer's persistent back issues during the Pakistan clash in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup.</p>

<p>Gavaskar told India Today, "It's a worry definitely. If a player is out for 5-6 months due to an injury and then has it again within a month before the World Cup, yes it is an area of concern. Luckily, you can make changes in your World Cup team, and in case he is unfit and doesn't recover then there will be somebody who will replace him. It is sad because he looked good in that match against Pakistan. He played a lovely cover drive."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-yuvraj-was-in-a-different-league-hardik-jadeja-arent-quite-there-manjrekar-makes-big-claim-634824">Asia Cup: Yuvraj was in a different league, Hardik &amp; Jadeja aren't quite there - Manjrekar makes big claim</a></strong></p>

<p>Meanwhile, Harbhajan said, "Injuries are part and parcel of the game. But getting injured that often is either bad luck or you are making a position for KL Rahul. I think getting injured at this point in time is going to hurt his position in the team as well and make things correct for KL Rahul. It is very worrying that players are getting injured again and again and it is mostly to do with the kind of training they do. So that is the question NCA needs to answer because that is where players go and rehabilitate and train themselves. And what KL Rahul brings to this table is stability in the batting line-up."</p>

<p>Team India is expected to provide a detailed update on&nbsp;Iyer's fitness sooner than later. However, he will be closely monitored by the team management, as frequent injury concerns will surely not help his case so close to the ODI World Cup. All the teams can make changes to their squad until September 28.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


At the coin toss of the India-Pakistan Super 4 meet in the ongoing Asia Cup, in Colombo, Indian fans were dealt with a major blow as Rohit Sharma revealed that No.

At the coin toss of the India-Pakistan Super 4 meet in the ongoing Asia Cup, in Colombo, Indian fans were dealt with a major blow as Rohit Sharma revealed that No. 4 batter Shreyas Iyer is out of the clash due to a back spasm. Iyer returned to international cricket after a long gap after a back injury. So far, he got only one opportunity with the bat -- in India's tournament opener where he scored 14 versus arch-rivals Pakistan -- and, thus, was being keenly observed for the remainder of the competition. But his back concerns have resurfaced. With less than a month left for the ODI World Cup, which kicks off on October 05 in west Indian city of Ahmedabad, Team India cannot afford to be unsure of their middle order due to Iyer's injury concerns. Former cricketers 'Little Master' Sunil Gavaskar and Harbhajan Singh reacted to Iyer's persistent back issues during the Pakistan clash in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. Gavaskar told India Today, "It's a worry definitely. If a player is out for 5-6 months due to an injury and then has it again within a month before the World Cup, yes it is an area of concern. Luckily, you can make changes in your World Cup team, and in case he is unfit and doesn't recover then there will be somebody who will replace him. It is sad because he looked good in that match against Pakistan. He played a lovely cover drive." Also read: Asia Cup: Yuvraj was in a different league, Hardik & Jadeja aren't quite there - Manjrekar makes big claim Meanwhile, Harbhajan said, "Injuries are part and parcel of the game. But getting injured that often is either bad luck or you are making a position for KL Rahul. I think getting injured at this point in time is going to hurt his position in the team as well and make things correct for KL Rahul. It is very worrying that players are getting injured again and again and it is mostly to do with the kind of training they do. So that is the question NCA needs to answer because that is where players go and rehabilitate and train themselves. And what KL Rahul brings to this table is stability in the batting line-up." Team India is expected to provide a detailed update on Iyer's fitness sooner than later. However, he will be closely monitored by the team management, as frequent injury concerns will surely not help his case so close to the ODI World Cup. All the teams can make changes to their squad until September 28. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ind vs Pak, Asia Cup: Sunil Gavaskar, Harbhajan Singh have this to say on injury-prone Shreyas Iyer

<p>Former India batter Mohammed Kaif has highlighted a key battle on the reserve day as Team India take guards at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo against Pakistan. The India vs Pakistan clash which was shifted to the reserved day of Monday, September 11 will see pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi against Virat Kohli with the duo in excellent touch. According to Kaif, the contest will be the highlight reel of the day as Virat and Shaheen look to provide an early advantage to their team on the reserve day.</p>

<h2><strong>Virat vs Shaheen to take centrestage</strong></h2>

<p>"Shaheen will continue to bring the ball in, bowling his inswing. He has told himself that his game plan is very simple, bring the ball in and fast, Whatever the batsman wants to do let him, his game plan is straightforward - bring the ball in, hit the pad, and hit the stumps. So it will be exciting to see Virat Kohli in the form he is in to take him on; it is the most key matchup of the game,” Kaif said while in conversation on Star Sports.</p>

<h2><strong>What happened in Group Stage</strong></h2>

<p>In the group stage encounter, Shaheen got the better of the former India captain as Virat was dismissed on 4, leaving the record continental champions in a vulnerable situation. The 34-year-old will have a score to settle with Shaheen when they meet on Monday as India will resume at 147/2. Rain played spoilsport in the contest for the second time in a week as the match needed to be moved to a controversial reserve day.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-yuvraj-was-in-a-different-league-hardik-jadeja-arent-quite-there-manjrekar-makes-big-claim-634824">Asia Cup: Yuvraj was in a different league, Hardik &amp; Jadeja aren't quite there - Manjrekar makes big claim</a></p>

<p>India had an excellent start to their innings as captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stitched an opening stand of 121 runs. They attacked Shaheen with full throttle before rain halted play in Colombo. Rohit scored 56 while Gill departed for 58 as veteran stars KL Rahul and Virat took to the field. As things stand, Virat is batting on 8 off 16 while Rahul is batting on 17 off 28.</p>

<p>If the match gets washed out on Monday, both teams will get one point a piece while making it a must-win contest for India against Sri Lanka. India will play Sri Lanka on Tuesday with no rest day, which could be a big spanner in the work for India’s preparations.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Former India batter Mohammed Kaif has highlighted a key battle on the reserve day as Team India take guards at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo against Pakistan.

Former India batter Mohammed Kaif has highlighted a key battle on the reserve day as Team India take guards at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo against Pakistan. The India vs Pakistan clash which was shifted to the reserved day of Monday, September 11 will see pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi against Virat Kohli with the duo in excellent touch. According to Kaif, the contest will be the highlight reel of the day as Virat and Shaheen look to provide an early advantage to their team on the reserve day. Virat vs Shaheen to take centrestage "Shaheen will continue to bring the ball in, bowling his inswing. He has told himself that his game plan is very simple, bring the ball in and fast, Whatever the batsman wants to do let him, his game plan is straightforward - bring the ball in, hit the pad, and hit the stumps. So it will be exciting to see Virat Kohli in the form he is in to take him on; it is the most key matchup of the game,” Kaif said while in conversation on Star Sports. What happened in Group Stage In the group stage encounter, Shaheen got the better of the former India captain as Virat was dismissed on 4, leaving the record continental champions in a vulnerable situation. The 34-year-old will have a score to settle with Shaheen when they meet on Monday as India will resume at 147/2. Rain played spoilsport in the contest for the second time in a week as the match needed to be moved to a controversial reserve day. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Yuvraj was in a different league, Hardik & Jadeja aren't quite there - Manjrekar makes big claim India had an excellent start to their innings as captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stitched an opening stand of 121 runs. They attacked Shaheen with full throttle before rain halted play in Colombo. Rohit scored 56 while Gill departed for 58 as veteran stars KL Rahul and Virat took to the field. As things stand, Virat is batting on 8 off 16 while Rahul is batting on 17 off 28. If the match gets washed out on Monday, both teams will get one point a piece while making it a must-win contest for India against Sri Lanka. India will play Sri Lanka on Tuesday with no rest day, which could be a big spanner in the work for India’s preparations. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Former cricketer highlights key battle on reserve day, Virat vs Shaheen to attract attention

<p>Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was a menace to batsmen worldwide during his playing days. His express pace, mean bouncer and lethal yorker made him unplayable on days when he was on&nbsp;song. Shoaib was a force to reckon with during the 2003/04 India tour of Pakistan as well, but there was one batsman before whom the great 'Rawalpindi Express' was all over the place.</p>

<p>“I remember that my toughest opponent. I used to feel threatened by this batsman was SV Balaji. No not him, another Balaji, he was a bowler …. Lakshmipathy Balaji,” Akhtar said on podcast <em>Wake Up With Sorabh</em>.</p>

<p>"He used to hit me after coming to bat in the endovers. He used to hate me like anything. I was all over the place man I could not get him out,” he recalled.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-23-new-zealand-announce-15-man-squad-indian-origin-all-rounder-rachin-ravindra-included-634707">CWC '23: New Zealand announce 15-man squad, Indian origin all-rounder Rachin Ravindra included</a></p>

<p>In one of the iconic moments of the ODI leg of the tour, Lakshmipathy Balaji had hit Akhtar over mid-wicket for a six, leaving the express pacer dumbfounded. The incident had occurred in the series decider and Balaji's six helped India post a formidable total of 293 which Pakistan had failed to chase down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ironically, Balaji also took the last wicket of the series to hand India the game and a 3-2 series victory in the five-match series. During the series, Balaji batted three times, scoring 45 runs with a best of 21 not out at a staggering strike rate of 160. Talking about his main suit, bowling, the right-hand medium-pace bowler took six wickets in five games, the third highest for India behind Zaheer Khan's eight and Irfan Pathan's seven in a batter-dominated series.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the Test leg, Balaji was even more effective, taking 12 wickets in three matches, playing his role in India's 2-1 win in the series. Overall, Balaji played eight Tests, 20 ODIs and five T20Is for India, taking 27, 24 and 10 wickets, respectively.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was a menace to batsmen worldwide during his playing days. His express pace, mean bouncer and lethal yorker made him unplayable on days when he was on song.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was a menace to batsmen worldwide during his playing days. His express pace, mean bouncer and lethal yorker made him unplayable on days when he was on song. Shoaib was a force to reckon with during the 2003/04 India tour of Pakistan as well, but there was one batsman before whom the great 'Rawalpindi Express' was all over the place. “I remember that my toughest opponent. I used to feel threatened by this batsman was SV Balaji. No not him, another Balaji, he was a bowler …. Lakshmipathy Balaji,” Akhtar said on podcast Wake Up With Sorabh. "He used to hit me after coming to bat in the endovers. He used to hate me like anything. I was all over the place man I could not get him out,” he recalled. Also Read: CWC '23: New Zealand announce 15-man squad, Indian origin all-rounder Rachin Ravindra included In one of the iconic moments of the ODI leg of the tour, Lakshmipathy Balaji had hit Akhtar over mid-wicket for a six, leaving the express pacer dumbfounded. The incident had occurred in the series decider and Balaji's six helped India post a formidable total of 293 which Pakistan had failed to chase down. Ironically, Balaji also took the last wicket of the series to hand India the game and a 3-2 series victory in the five-match series. During the series, Balaji batted three times, scoring 45 runs with a best of 21 not out at a staggering strike rate of 160. Talking about his main suit, bowling, the right-hand medium-pace bowler took six wickets in five games, the third highest for India behind Zaheer Khan's eight and Irfan Pathan's seven in a batter-dominated series. During the Test leg, Balaji was even more effective, taking 12 wickets in three matches, playing his role in India's 2-1 win in the series. Overall, Balaji played eight Tests, 20 ODIs and five T20Is for India, taking 27, 24 and 10 wickets, respectively. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'I was all over the place...,' Shoaib Akhtar names his TOUGHEST OPPONENT from India's 2003-04 tour of Pakistan

<p>In the most beautiful gesture possible, Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi gifts a box to the new dad in the town, Jasprit Bumrah, following the rain-hit day in Colombo during Asia Cup 2023. In a video uploaded by Pakistan Cricket’s official handle on X (previously known as Twitter), Shaheen is seen marching towards Bumrah with a gift box, and upon handing it to him, he passed on best wishes to his counterpart.</p>

<p><strong>You can watch the video here –</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Spreading joy 🙌<br />
<br />
Shaheen Afridi delivers smiles to new dad Jasprit Bumrah 👶🏼🎁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvIND</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup2023</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nx04tdegjX">pic.twitter.com/Nx04tdegjX</a></p>
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1700900704703979893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Bumrah, following the Pakistan Group game on September 2 in Kandy, flew home for the birth of his first child, pictures of which he shared on his social media handles.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our little family has grown &amp; our hearts are fuller than we could ever imagine! This morning we welcomed our little boy, Angad Jasprit Bumrah into the world. We are over the moon and can’t wait for everything this new chapter of our lives brings with it ❤️ - Jasprit and Sanjana <a href="https://t.co/j3RFOSpB8Q">pic.twitter.com/j3RFOSpB8Q</a></p>
— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93/status/1698559874811228220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The ace seamer returned to rejoin the Indian Team ahead of the marquee Super Four clash in Colombo, which sadly for all cricket fans, got washed out on Sunday.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-play-called-off-in-colombo-india-pakistan-match-to-resume-on-monday-as-reserve-day-activated-634614">Asia Cup: Play called off in Colombo, India-Pakistan match to resume on Monday as reserve day</a></strong></p>

<p>However, with the reserve day getting activated, both teams will resume proceedings on Monday, with India coming out to bat at 24.1 overs. If weather permits, it will be a proper 50-over game, as India will start from where they left on Sunday.</p>

<p>Earlier, after the India-Pakistan first game got washed out, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), in coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) – the original host of the tournament alongside BCCI, decided to add a reserve day for this game especially. That move paid dividends, as both teams will return to action on Monday.</p>

<h2>India to play for three days on a trot</h2>

<p>The Indian Cricket Team that last played their Asia Cup match on September 4 against Nepal (Group game) will now be in action for three days on a trot. Having batted on Sunday, they will be back on the field on Monday (for the reserve day), and then India is scheduled to play their next Super Four game against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, September 12, at the same venue.</p>

<p>Depending on the result against Pakistan, India could change their XI, considering providing rest to some players before the team returns to action to face Bangladesh in their last Super Four match on Friday, September 15.</p>

<h3>India dominates in Colombo</h3>

<p>After being asked to bat first, the Indian openers made light work of the best bowling attack in the world, taking them to the cleaners. The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stitched a 121-run stand for the first wicket, hitting respective fifties, while Virat Kohli (8*) and KL Rahul (17*) are at the crease.</p>

<p>India will resume play on 147 for two.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


In the most beautiful gesture possible, Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi gifts a box to the new dad in the town, Jasprit Bumrah, following the rain-hit day in Colombo during Asia Cup 2023.

In the most beautiful gesture possible, Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi gifts a box to the new dad in the town, Jasprit Bumrah, following the rain-hit day in Colombo during Asia Cup 2023. In a video uploaded by Pakistan Cricket’s official handle on X (previously known as Twitter), Shaheen is seen marching towards Bumrah with a gift box, and upon handing it to him, he passed on best wishes to his counterpart. You can watch the video here – Spreading joy 🙌 Shaheen Afridi delivers smiles to new dad Jasprit Bumrah 👶🏼🎁#PAKvIND | #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/Nx04tdegjX — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 10, 2023 × Bumrah, following the Pakistan Group game on September 2 in Kandy, flew home for the birth of his first child, pictures of which he shared on his social media handles. Our little family has grown & our hearts are fuller than we could ever imagine! This morning we welcomed our little boy, Angad Jasprit Bumrah into the world. We are over the moon and can’t wait for everything this new chapter of our lives brings with it ❤️ - Jasprit and Sanjana pic.twitter.com/j3RFOSpB8Q — Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) September 4, 2023 × The ace seamer returned to rejoin the Indian Team ahead of the marquee Super Four clash in Colombo, which sadly for all cricket fans, got washed out on Sunday. ALSO READ: Asia Cup: Play called off in Colombo, India-Pakistan match to resume on Monday as reserve day However, with the reserve day getting activated, both teams will resume proceedings on Monday, with India coming out to bat at 24.1 overs. If weather permits, it will be a proper 50-over game, as India will start from where they left on Sunday. Earlier, after the India-Pakistan first game got washed out, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), in coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) – the original host of the tournament alongside BCCI, decided to add a reserve day for this game especially. That move paid dividends, as both teams will return to action on Monday. India to play for three days on a trot The Indian Cricket Team that last played their Asia Cup match on September 4 against Nepal (Group game) will now be in action for three days on a trot. Having batted on Sunday, they will be back on the field on Monday (for the reserve day), and then India is scheduled to play their next Super Four game against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, September 12, at the same venue. Depending on the result against Pakistan, India could change their XI, considering providing rest to some players before the team returns to action to face Bangladesh in their last Super Four match on Friday, September 15. India dominates in Colombo After being asked to bat first, the Indian openers made light work of the best bowling attack in the world, taking them to the cleaners. The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stitched a 121-run stand for the first wicket, hitting respective fifties, while Virat Kohli (8*) and KL Rahul (17*) are at the crease. India will resume play on 147 for two. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup: Shaheen Afridi hands new-dad Jasprit Bumrah a gift following rain-hit day in Colombo – WATCH VIDEO

<p>The marquee India vs. Pakistan clash in the Super Four stage of Asia Cup 2023 has been called off on Sunday due to rain. The reserve day, added especially for this game, will now come into action as the contest will resume on Monday, with India beginning the day at 24.1 overs.</p>

<p>For the second time in a row, India-Pakistan game got interrupted by rain, as earlier during the Group Stage match on September 2 in Kandy, the game suffered a similar fate, disappointing millions of cricket fans all across. However, considering the peak monsoon season in Sri Lanka, especially in the capital city, the ACC, in coordination with the PCB – the original host of the tournament and the BCCI, decided to add a reserve day for the India-Pakistan Super Four tie in Colombo.</p>

<p>As everyone thought, the rain again played a spoilsport as the game got called off on Sunday. With no match possible on the given day, the reserve day was activated, and now both teams will resume proceedings on the next day at the same venue. India, who batted first after losing the toss, was on top of Pakistan, scoring 147 for two in 24.1 overs.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-pak-skipper-babar-azam-denies-haris-raufs-confident-review-request-vs-india-watch-634583">Asia Cup: Pak skipper Babar Azam denies Haris Rauf's CONFIDENT review request vs India - WATCH</a></strong></p>

<p>Captain Rohit Sharma and his fellow opener Shubman Gill hit respective fifties, while Virat Kohli (8*) and returning KL Rahul (17*) were at the crease when the game got paused due to rain.</p>

<p>At that time, India was dominating and looked like breaching the 300-run mark in this high-voltage clash.</p>

<h2>Rain washes away thrill in Colombo</h2>

<p>Eight days after arch-rivals faced off for the first time since that epic clash in Melbourne last year, the tensions were high as the Indian batters took on the best bowling line-up in the tournament for the second straight time. After what they had gone through during the first clash, getting reduced to 66 for four at one stage, the Indian openers upped the ante and unlocked the counter-attack strategy to gain an early advantage.</p>

<p>Taking down Shaheen Afridi was their best trick, but a tight spell from Naseem Shah kept them on bay inside the Powerplay. Rohit changed gears when Shadab was introduced to the attack, taking him to the cleaners.</p>

<p>Although both stitched a 121-run stand for the first wicket, Rohit and Gill returned to the pavilion in consecutive overs.</p>

<p>Virat Kohli looked composed, while KL Rahul didn’t disappoint on his first India outing in several months.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, with both teams now aware of the situation at hand, changing strategies before cricket resumes on Monday can benefit both.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


The marquee India vs. Pakistan clash in the Super Four stage of Asia Cup 2023 has been called off on Sunday due to rain. The reserve day, added especially for this game, will now come into action as the contest will resume on Monday, with India beginning the day at 24.

The marquee India vs. Pakistan clash in the Super Four stage of Asia Cup 2023 has been called off on Sunday due to rain. The reserve day, added especially for this game, will now come into action as the contest will resume on Monday, with India beginning the day at 24.1 overs. For the second time in a row, India-Pakistan game got interrupted by rain, as earlier during the Group Stage match on September 2 in Kandy, the game suffered a similar fate, disappointing millions of cricket fans all across. However, considering the peak monsoon season in Sri Lanka, especially in the capital city, the ACC, in coordination with the PCB – the original host of the tournament and the BCCI, decided to add a reserve day for the India-Pakistan Super Four tie in Colombo. As everyone thought, the rain again played a spoilsport as the game got called off on Sunday. With no match possible on the given day, the reserve day was activated, and now both teams will resume proceedings on the next day at the same venue. India, who batted first after losing the toss, was on top of Pakistan, scoring 147 for two in 24.1 overs. ALSO READ: Asia Cup: Pak skipper Babar Azam denies Haris Rauf's CONFIDENT review request vs India - WATCH Captain Rohit Sharma and his fellow opener Shubman Gill hit respective fifties, while Virat Kohli (8*) and returning KL Rahul (17*) were at the crease when the game got paused due to rain. At that time, India was dominating and looked like breaching the 300-run mark in this high-voltage clash. Rain washes away thrill in Colombo Eight days after arch-rivals faced off for the first time since that epic clash in Melbourne last year, the tensions were high as the Indian batters took on the best bowling line-up in the tournament for the second straight time. After what they had gone through during the first clash, getting reduced to 66 for four at one stage, the Indian openers upped the ante and unlocked the counter-attack strategy to gain an early advantage. Taking down Shaheen Afridi was their best trick, but a tight spell from Naseem Shah kept them on bay inside the Powerplay. Rohit changed gears when Shadab was introduced to the attack, taking him to the cleaners. Although both stitched a 121-run stand for the first wicket, Rohit and Gill returned to the pavilion in consecutive overs. Virat Kohli looked composed, while KL Rahul didn’t disappoint on his first India outing in several months. Meanwhile, with both teams now aware of the situation at hand, changing strategies before cricket resumes on Monday can benefit both. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup: Play called off in Colombo, India-Pakistan match to resume on Monday as reserve day

<p>The cut-off time for the rain-curtailed India and Pakistan clash at the Asia Cup on Sunday has been extended from 60 minutes to 90 minutes along with the possibility of a 20-over run-chase scenario as well.</p>

<p>As per the latest updates, the cut-off time for the game for time is now 12 am (local time) and the 20-over clash between the two sides can begin as late as 10.36 pm (local time), ESPNcricinfo reported, adding that the next inspection will take place at 7.30 pm.</p>

<p>Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and Indian head coach Rahul Dravid were on the field, inspecting the puddles of water&nbsp;left by the rain.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, for the second time this Asia Cup, rain played spoilsport in a clash involving traditional rivals India and Pakistan, as the blockbuster Super Four clash at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was halted after heavy showers forced the ground staff to bring on the covers.</p>

<p>India, given a flying start by the opening pair of skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, were sitting pretty at 147 for the loss of 2 wickets when the heavens intervened.</p>

<p>However, before the teams were forced back to the dressing rooms, Rohit and Shubman put on a show smacking the Pakistani bowlers to all corners in a whirlwind partnership of 121 runs.</p>

<p>Shaheen Shaf Afridi and Shadab Khan claimed a wicket apiece to bring the Pakistanis back into the game after the India openers sent them on a leather hunt in the initial overs.</p>

<p>Rohit (56) fell to a soft dismissal off Shadab while Gill (58) perished in the next over, failing to read a slower one from Shaheen and lobbing a catch to Agha Salman at extra cover.</p>

<p>Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then came together and looked to have stabilised the innings when rain interrupted play. Kohli (8)* and KL Rahul (17)* were undefeated at the crease when the umpires called a halt to the proceedings.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-pakistan-name-playing-xi-for-super-four-match-vs-india-replaces-this-player-from-group-stage-clash-634230">Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash</a></p>

<p>Earlier, in the tournament, both teams squared off in the group stage, with India posting a total of 266 in the first innings. However, rain washed out the game thereafter.</p>

<p>However, unlike the last clash, a reserve day was announced for the Super Four clash by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Friday.</p>

<p>If there is no further action in the Super Four clash on Sunday, the match will resume on Monday from the point where it was halted.</p>

<p>India will resume their innings from 147/2 in 24.1 overs, with Virat and Rahul unbeaten.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The cut-off time for the rain-curtailed India and Pakistan clash at the Asia Cup on Sunday has been extended from 60 minutes to 90 minutes along with the possibility of a 20-over run-chase scenario as well.

The cut-off time for the rain-curtailed India and Pakistan clash at the Asia Cup on Sunday has been extended from 60 minutes to 90 minutes along with the possibility of a 20-over run-chase scenario as well. As per the latest updates, the cut-off time for the game for time is now 12 am (local time) and the 20-over clash between the two sides can begin as late as 10.36 pm (local time), ESPNcricinfo reported, adding that the next inspection will take place at 7.30 pm. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and Indian head coach Rahul Dravid were on the field, inspecting the puddles of water left by the rain. Earlier in the day, for the second time this Asia Cup, rain played spoilsport in a clash involving traditional rivals India and Pakistan, as the blockbuster Super Four clash at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was halted after heavy showers forced the ground staff to bring on the covers. India, given a flying start by the opening pair of skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, were sitting pretty at 147 for the loss of 2 wickets when the heavens intervened. However, before the teams were forced back to the dressing rooms, Rohit and Shubman put on a show smacking the Pakistani bowlers to all corners in a whirlwind partnership of 121 runs. Shaheen Shaf Afridi and Shadab Khan claimed a wicket apiece to bring the Pakistanis back into the game after the India openers sent them on a leather hunt in the initial overs. Rohit (56) fell to a soft dismissal off Shadab while Gill (58) perished in the next over, failing to read a slower one from Shaheen and lobbing a catch to Agha Salman at extra cover. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then came together and looked to have stabilised the innings when rain interrupted play. Kohli (8)* and KL Rahul (17)* were undefeated at the crease when the umpires called a halt to the proceedings. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash Earlier, in the tournament, both teams squared off in the group stage, with India posting a total of 266 in the first innings. However, rain washed out the game thereafter. However, unlike the last clash, a reserve day was announced for the Super Four clash by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Friday. If there is no further action in the Super Four clash on Sunday, the match will resume on Monday from the point where it was halted. India will resume their innings from 147/2 in 24.1 overs, with Virat and Rahul unbeaten. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Cut-off time extended to 90 min, 20 overrun chase on cards between India vs Pakistan

<p>Wasim Akram surprised Virat Kohli with his latest revelation. During the India-Pakistan Super Four pre-match chat on Sunday in Colombo, the veteran Pakistan seamer revealed Virat came into his dreams. Considering Virat Kohli is such a polarising figure in world cricket and outside of it, he gets more coverage than his contemporaries. Wasim said having watched so much of him recently, given the India-Pakistan match build-up, Virat came into his dreams.</p>

<p>The Pakistan legend admitted letting Virat know about this during their brief catch-up before the game got underway.</p>

<p>"Today, I walked past him and told Virat Kohli that you come in my dreams now. He replied saying, 'What do you mean Wasim bhai? I told him because I see so much of you on the television screen. I just can't get him out of my mind," Akram said.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-world-cup-hca-writes-to-bcci-to-reschedule-warm-up-game-on-september-29-due-to-security-concerns-634506">Cricket World Cup: HCA writes to BCCI to reschedule warm-up game on September 29 due to security concerns</a></strong></p>

<p>Speaking on Virat and the superstars from both teams, Wasim pointed out three match-winners in Kohli, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, adding players like them are meant for big moments like the India-Pakistan tie.</p>

<p>Wasim continued saying star players from India and Pakistan wish to perform, especially during this clash.</p>

<p>"Virat, Babar, Shaheen and all these match winners; they play this game for these moments – India vs. Pakistan. I mean, for Pakistan everybody wants to perform and vice-versa. This is just made or break. Not for guys like Virat Kohli and Babar Azam but for young guys. These games are fun. Yesterday, the whole Colombo was buzzing," Akram added.</p>

<h2>India going strong in Colombo</h2>

<p>The Indian Team batted first in Colombo, and unlike the last time, they began well against the best bowling line-up in the tournament. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill weathered the new-ball threat by taking the star-studded duo of Afridi and Naseem Shah to the cleaners. Though Afridi went for runs despite getting little swing, Shah was on point, keeping it tight from one end.</p>

<p>India’s opening pair, which in the previous outing, got reduced to 66 for four at one stage after winning the toss, stitched a 121-run stand. Both Gill and Rohit scored respective fifties but lost wickets in quick intervals.</p>

<p>Rain interrupted play in Colombo, with the scorecard reading 147 for two in 24.1 overs. Virat Kohli and returning KL Rahul are at the crease, batting at eight and 17, respectively.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, for India to cruise ahead into the final, they must win at least two of the three games in the Super Four stage. Following the Pakistan ODI, India will face Sri Lanka on September 12 and Bangladesh on September 15.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Wasim Akram surprised Virat Kohli with his latest revelation. During the India-Pakistan Super Four pre-match chat on Sunday in Colombo, the veteran Pakistan seamer revealed Virat came into his dreams.

Wasim Akram surprised Virat Kohli with his latest revelation. During the India-Pakistan Super Four pre-match chat on Sunday in Colombo, the veteran Pakistan seamer revealed Virat came into his dreams. Considering Virat Kohli is such a polarising figure in world cricket and outside of it, he gets more coverage than his contemporaries. Wasim said having watched so much of him recently, given the India-Pakistan match build-up, Virat came into his dreams. The Pakistan legend admitted letting Virat know about this during their brief catch-up before the game got underway. "Today, I walked past him and told Virat Kohli that you come in my dreams now. He replied saying, 'What do you mean Wasim bhai? I told him because I see so much of you on the television screen. I just can't get him out of my mind," Akram said. ALSO READ: Cricket World Cup: HCA writes to BCCI to reschedule warm-up game on September 29 due to security concerns Speaking on Virat and the superstars from both teams, Wasim pointed out three match-winners in Kohli, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, adding players like them are meant for big moments like the India-Pakistan tie. Wasim continued saying star players from India and Pakistan wish to perform, especially during this clash. "Virat, Babar, Shaheen and all these match winners; they play this game for these moments – India vs. Pakistan. I mean, for Pakistan everybody wants to perform and vice-versa. This is just made or break. Not for guys like Virat Kohli and Babar Azam but for young guys. These games are fun. Yesterday, the whole Colombo was buzzing," Akram added. India going strong in Colombo The Indian Team batted first in Colombo, and unlike the last time, they began well against the best bowling line-up in the tournament. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill weathered the new-ball threat by taking the star-studded duo of Afridi and Naseem Shah to the cleaners. Though Afridi went for runs despite getting little swing, Shah was on point, keeping it tight from one end. India’s opening pair, which in the previous outing, got reduced to 66 for four at one stage after winning the toss, stitched a 121-run stand. Both Gill and Rohit scored respective fifties but lost wickets in quick intervals. Rain interrupted play in Colombo, with the scorecard reading 147 for two in 24.1 overs. Virat Kohli and returning KL Rahul are at the crease, batting at eight and 17, respectively. Meanwhile, for India to cruise ahead into the final, they must win at least two of the three games in the Super Four stage. Following the Pakistan ODI, India will face Sri Lanka on September 12 and Bangladesh on September 15. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup: Wasim Akram surprises Virat Kohli with latest revelation, says ‘you come in my dreams’

<p>Pakistan’s poor show in the field continued as they showcased their vulnerability once again during their Asia Cup 2023 contest against India. The high-voltage clash taking place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 10 saw them provide one of the unwanted moments of Asia Cup 2023. An edge from Shubman Gill flew past the Pakistan slip fielders as they failed to capitalise on the&nbsp;moment.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Iftikhar Ahmed, what were you doing there? 😂😂😂😂 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsPAK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiavsPakistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiavsPakistan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiavsPak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiavsPak</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/isilAYarw5">pic.twitter.com/isilAYarw5</a></p>
— (Positive) AboePP (@aboepp05) <a href="https://twitter.com/aboepp05/status/1700813909144293432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>What happened with Gill?</strong></h2>

<p>On the third ball of the eight over, a wonderful delivery from Naseem Shah was edged by Gill and it bisected Iftikhar Ahmed (in first slip) and Salman Agha (second slip). However, much to everyone's surprise the ball was not clutched by any fielder and Gill survived due to the lapse. The ball easily flew past the slip fielders while no one attempted to catch the ball.</p>

<p>It reminded fans of Pakistan’s poor show in the field, where they have developed a reputation for poor show. In 2008, a similar incident took place when Pakistan were playing West Indies in UAE. Pakistan fielder Saeed Ajmal failed to catch a lofted shot from Chris Gayle as he and Shoaib Malik approached. In a funny case, the ball dropped in between Shoaib and Saeed much to the frustration of the Pakistan side while giving a meme moment to fans.</p>

<h2><strong>India make good start</strong></h2>

<p>India made a good start to the Super Four clash as skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill showed an aggressive approach and put up a good score on the board in the power play. The pair put together a 121-run stand for the first wicket with skipper Rohit scoring 56 before getting out to Shadab Khan. Gill scored 58 before falling prey to Shaheen Afridi. At the time of writing, India were 123/2 as they stamped their authority in the contest.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-pakistan-name-playing-xi-for-super-four-match-vs-india-replaces-this-player-from-group-stage-clash-634230">Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash</a></p>

<h2><strong>Changes in Team India</strong></h2>

<p>The experienced duo of Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul has returned to the Playing XI for Team India as India prepare for the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan. Bumrah, as expected returned to the Indian team after paternity leave while Rahul’s inclusion was also on the cards having overcome injury trouble. Shreyas Iyer missed out due to a back issue while Mohammed Shami made way for Bumrah for the clash.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Pakistan’s poor show in the field continued as they showcased their vulnerability once again during their Asia Cup 2023 contest against India. The high-voltage clash taking place at the R.

Pakistan’s poor show in the field continued as they showcased their vulnerability once again during their Asia Cup 2023 contest against India. The high-voltage clash taking place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 10 saw them provide one of the unwanted moments of Asia Cup 2023. An edge from Shubman Gill flew past the Pakistan slip fielders as they failed to capitalise on the moment. Iftikhar Ahmed, what were you doing there? 😂😂😂😂 #INDvsPAK #IndiavsPakistan #IndiavsPak #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/isilAYarw5 — (Positive) AboePP (@aboepp05) September 10, 2023 × What happened with Gill? On the third ball of the eight over, a wonderful delivery from Naseem Shah was edged by Gill and it bisected Iftikhar Ahmed (in first slip) and Salman Agha (second slip). However, much to everyone's surprise the ball was not clutched by any fielder and Gill survived due to the lapse. The ball easily flew past the slip fielders while no one attempted to catch the ball. It reminded fans of Pakistan’s poor show in the field, where they have developed a reputation for poor show. In 2008, a similar incident took place when Pakistan were playing West Indies in UAE. Pakistan fielder Saeed Ajmal failed to catch a lofted shot from Chris Gayle as he and Shoaib Malik approached. In a funny case, the ball dropped in between Shoaib and Saeed much to the frustration of the Pakistan side while giving a meme moment to fans. India make good start India made a good start to the Super Four clash as skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill showed an aggressive approach and put up a good score on the board in the power play. The pair put together a 121-run stand for the first wicket with skipper Rohit scoring 56 before getting out to Shadab Khan. Gill scored 58 before falling prey to Shaheen Afridi. At the time of writing, India were 123/2 as they stamped their authority in the contest. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash Changes in Team India The experienced duo of Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul has returned to the Playing XI for Team India as India prepare for the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan. Bumrah, as expected returned to the Indian team after paternity leave while Rahul’s inclusion was also on the cards having overcome injury trouble. Shreyas Iyer missed out due to a back issue while Mohammed Shami made way for Bumrah for the clash. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan show vulnerability in fielding, fail to clutch Shubman Gill nick in slips | WATCH

<p>The experienced duo of Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul has returned to the Playing XI for Team India as India prepare for the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan. Bumrah, as expected returned to the Indian team after paternity leave while Rahul’s inclusion was also on the cards having overcome injury trouble. Shreyas Iyer missed out due to a back issue while Mohammed Shami made way for Bumrah for the clash.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨 Toss &amp; Team News 🚨<br />
<br />
Pakistan have elected to bowl against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>.<br />
<br />
A look at our Playing XI 🔽<br />
<br />
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/kg7Sh2t5pM">https://t.co/kg7Sh2t5pM</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup2023</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/fkABP5uWxr">pic.twitter.com/fkABP5uWxr</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1700798874141778012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>Rahul returns to Team India</strong></h2>

<p>Rahul’s inclusion in the Indian team saw Shreyas Iyer miss out due to a back spasm, as told by skipper Rohit Sharma at the toss. This will be Rahul’s first match for Team India since March having missed the West Indies and Ireland tour. He is expected to bat No.4 with Ishan Kishan coming in at No.5.It will also be interesting who keeps the gloves as Rahul is yet to fully recover from the injury issue.</p>

<p>On the bowling side, Bumrah also returned from paternity leave and replaced experienced Shami as Shardul Thakur kept his place in the Playing XI. Bumrah played in India’s last encounter against Pakistan in Kandy but had to return to Mumbai for the birth of his first child. His return to the side gives India a massive boost.</p>

<p>Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first in challenging conditions in Colombo. This will be the 15th meeting between the sides at the Asia Cup, with India leading the head-to-head affairs 7-5. Last week’s group stage contest was called off after rain played spoilsport in Kandy.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-pakistan-name-playing-xi-for-super-four-match-vs-india-replaces-this-player-from-group-stage-clash-634230">Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash</a></p>

<p>A win for Pakistan will see them all but through to next Sunday’s final while a win for India will make interesting readings in the Super Four. Both India and Pakistan are so far undefeated in the Asia Cup 2023 with rain also a big factor in Sunday’s clash. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has already announced a reserve day for the India vs Pakistan clash if rain plays spoilsport on Sunday.</p>

<h2><strong>India Playing XI vs Pakistan</strong></h2>

<p>Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The experienced duo of Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul has returned to the Playing XI for Team India as India prepare for the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan.

The experienced duo of Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul has returned to the Playing XI for Team India as India prepare for the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan. Bumrah, as expected returned to the Indian team after paternity leave while Rahul’s inclusion was also on the cards having overcome injury trouble. Shreyas Iyer missed out due to a back issue while Mohammed Shami made way for Bumrah for the clash. 🚨 Toss & Team News 🚨 Pakistan have elected to bowl against #TeamIndia. A look at our Playing XI 🔽 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/kg7Sh2t5pM#AsiaCup2023 | #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/fkABP5uWxr — BCCI (@BCCI) September 10, 2023 × Rahul returns to Team India Rahul’s inclusion in the Indian team saw Shreyas Iyer miss out due to a back spasm, as told by skipper Rohit Sharma at the toss. This will be Rahul’s first match for Team India since March having missed the West Indies and Ireland tour. He is expected to bat No.4 with Ishan Kishan coming in at No.5.It will also be interesting who keeps the gloves as Rahul is yet to fully recover from the injury issue. On the bowling side, Bumrah also returned from paternity leave and replaced experienced Shami as Shardul Thakur kept his place in the Playing XI. Bumrah played in India’s last encounter against Pakistan in Kandy but had to return to Mumbai for the birth of his first child. His return to the side gives India a massive boost. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first in challenging conditions in Colombo. This will be the 15th meeting between the sides at the Asia Cup, with India leading the head-to-head affairs 7-5. Last week’s group stage contest was called off after rain played spoilsport in Kandy. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash A win for Pakistan will see them all but through to next Sunday’s final while a win for India will make interesting readings in the Super Four. Both India and Pakistan are so far undefeated in the Asia Cup 2023 with rain also a big factor in Sunday’s clash. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has already announced a reserve day for the India vs Pakistan clash if rain plays spoilsport on Sunday. India Playing XI vs Pakistan Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah return; Shreyas Iyer misses out due to back spasm

<p>India‘s batting sensation KL Rahul is all ready for the upcoming Asia Cup clash against Pakistan as the Men in Blue prepare for the high-voltage encounter. Rahul, having missed the group stage of the Asia Cup, is in line to take a position in the middle-order for the Super Four clash. India will start their Super Four campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, September 10 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where Rahul is expected to make his comeback.</p>

<h2><strong>Rahul happy to be back in team</strong></h2>

<p>“I'm happy to come back into the team and get back the rhythm of being in the middle, playing 100 overs, keeping for 50 overs. I’m fighting for as long as I need to, just getting back that adrenaline of being back on the cricket field. We're playing the best tournaments outside of the World Cup. We're playing some quality teams in the next week, 10 days. So I'm very excited about that. I've prepared really well. I'm confident about myself,” Rahul said on BCCI.TV.</p>

<p>This will be the 31-year-old’s first match for Team India since March, having missed the West Indies and Ireland tours. He was also not available for the final phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) where Krunal Pandya deputised for him. Rahul’s availability will be a big boost for India but raising question marks on who will come in the Playing XI.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-pakistan-name-playing-xi-for-super-four-match-vs-india-replaces-this-player-from-group-stage-clash-634230">Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash</a></p>

<h2><strong>Shreyas Iyer to sit out?</strong></h2>

<p>Rahul’s inclusion in the team could likely give a good headache to the team management either Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan could stay way. Considering Ishan’s form in recent times, he is unlikely to be dropped, having scored four consecutive fifties when he has taken to the field in the ODI format recently. On the flip side, the likes of skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill remain the first names on the sheet.</p>

<p>Rahul will have to take advantage of the situation with competition for places as Suryakumar Yadav is also waiting in the wings. Rahul’s wicketkeeping ability will also be under scanner as he tries to force his way into the team.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


India‘s batting sensation KL Rahul is all ready for the upcoming Asia Cup clash against Pakistan as the Men in Blue prepare for the high-voltage encounter. Rahul, having missed the group stage of the Asia Cup, is in line to take a position in the middle-order for the Super Four clash.

India‘s batting sensation KL Rahul is all ready for the upcoming Asia Cup clash against Pakistan as the Men in Blue prepare for the high-voltage encounter. Rahul, having missed the group stage of the Asia Cup, is in line to take a position in the middle-order for the Super Four clash. India will start their Super Four campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, September 10 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where Rahul is expected to make his comeback. Rahul happy to be back in team “I'm happy to come back into the team and get back the rhythm of being in the middle, playing 100 overs, keeping for 50 overs. I’m fighting for as long as I need to, just getting back that adrenaline of being back on the cricket field. We're playing the best tournaments outside of the World Cup. We're playing some quality teams in the next week, 10 days. So I'm very excited about that. I've prepared really well. I'm confident about myself,” Rahul said on BCCI.TV. This will be the 31-year-old’s first match for Team India since March, having missed the West Indies and Ireland tours. He was also not available for the final phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) where Krunal Pandya deputised for him. Rahul’s availability will be a big boost for India but raising question marks on who will come in the Playing XI. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Pakistan name Playing XI for Super Four match vs India, replaces THIS player from group stage clash Shreyas Iyer to sit out? Rahul’s inclusion in the team could likely give a good headache to the team management either Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan could stay way. Considering Ishan’s form in recent times, he is unlikely to be dropped, having scored four consecutive fifties when he has taken to the field in the ODI format recently. On the flip side, the likes of skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill remain the first names on the sheet. Rahul will have to take advantage of the situation with competition for places as Suryakumar Yadav is also waiting in the wings. Rahul’s wicketkeeping ability will also be under scanner as he tries to force his way into the team. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: KL Rahul ready for Pakistan clash in Super Four stage, says 'I'm confident about myself'

The India-Pakistan match is set to take place in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. India-Pakistan matches are a symbol of India's cricket diplomacy. What will tomorrow's match hold?

Gravitas: India Vs Pakistan Match, A Symbol Of Cricket Diplomacy

<p>The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) added a reserve day for India vs. Pakistan Super Four match in Colombo, to be played on Sunday, September 10, and Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is seemingly unhappy with this selective call. Outside of the final on September 17, the India-Pakistan marquee clash is the only other game to get a reserve day, bypassing the remaining two teams – co-host Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.</p>

<p>Speaking to the media ahead of his side’s first Super Four match against Sri Lanka in Colombo – a city facing&nbsp;rainfall during this peak monsoon season, Hathurusingha said these selective calls around reserve day are not ideal, and if it has been offered for one game, it must be there for all games.</p>

<p>Since the first game between arch-rivals played in Kandy got washed out, the PCB, in coordination with the ACC, were said to look into alternate venues for Super Four stages to avoid games more suffering the same fate. With the players and the broadcasters reluctant to travel to Hambantota and Dambulla (optional venues), the ACC remained confined to Colombo as the final venue for the remaining matches.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-rates-ind-wi-1st-test-pitch-below-average-venue-receive-one-demerit-point-634002">ICC rates IND-WI 1st Test pitch ‘below average’, venue receive one demerit point</a></strong></p>

<p>"I'm sure there is a technical committee, represented by every participating countries, six nations. So, they must have decided with some other reason. Yes, it's not ideal. We would love to have an extra day as well. Other than that, I don't have much comment on that because they have made a decision," Hathurusingha said.</p>

<p>"We haven't spoken about that [reserve day] because once you've made a decision, we don't have much say. So, if we were consulted before, we would have our comment, but because it's already made, I don't have any concern. And we just get on with what we were asked. I haven't seen this kind of thing in another tournament. Changing rules in the middle of the tournament, so that's the new thing I can add to that," the head coach added.</p>

<h2>Hathurusingha concentrated on SL game despite the reserve-day drama</h2>

<p>The Bangladesh head coach remains concerned about the big game against Sri Lanka, an opposition against whom they suffered a defeat earlier in the tournament. Even in match-winner Shanto's absence, Hathurusingha believes his side can deliver against the Asian giants.</p>

<p>"We're very much aware of what happened in the past. But we have been playing good cricket. So, we have to play in a very different condition from the last two or three games against different opposition.”</p>

<p>"So, it's a big challenge for us, but we talk about how we are much more capable than what we have shown here. So, the inconsistency is the one we need to address. And then we actually talk about that and looking forward to having a good show," said Hathurusingha.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) added a reserve day for India vs. Pakistan Super Four match in Colombo, to be played on Sunday, September 10, and Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is seemingly unhappy with this selective call.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) added a reserve day for India vs. Pakistan Super Four match in Colombo, to be played on Sunday, September 10, and Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is seemingly unhappy with this selective call. Outside of the final on September 17, the India-Pakistan marquee clash is the only other game to get a reserve day, bypassing the remaining two teams – co-host Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Speaking to the media ahead of his side’s first Super Four match against Sri Lanka in Colombo – a city facing rainfall during this peak monsoon season, Hathurusingha said these selective calls around reserve day are not ideal, and if it has been offered for one game, it must be there for all games. Since the first game between arch-rivals played in Kandy got washed out, the PCB, in coordination with the ACC, were said to look into alternate venues for Super Four stages to avoid games more suffering the same fate. With the players and the broadcasters reluctant to travel to Hambantota and Dambulla (optional venues), the ACC remained confined to Colombo as the final venue for the remaining matches. ALSO READ: ICC rates IND-WI 1st Test pitch ‘below average’, venue receive one demerit point "I'm sure there is a technical committee, represented by every participating countries, six nations. So, they must have decided with some other reason. Yes, it's not ideal. We would love to have an extra day as well. Other than that, I don't have much comment on that because they have made a decision," Hathurusingha said. "We haven't spoken about that [reserve day] because once you've made a decision, we don't have much say. So, if we were consulted before, we would have our comment, but because it's already made, I don't have any concern. And we just get on with what we were asked. I haven't seen this kind of thing in another tournament. Changing rules in the middle of the tournament, so that's the new thing I can add to that," the head coach added. Hathurusingha concentrated on SL game despite the reserve-day drama The Bangladesh head coach remains concerned about the big game against Sri Lanka, an opposition against whom they suffered a defeat earlier in the tournament. Even in match-winner Shanto's absence, Hathurusingha believes his side can deliver against the Asian giants. "We're very much aware of what happened in the past. But we have been playing good cricket. So, we have to play in a very different condition from the last two or three games against different opposition.” "So, it's a big challenge for us, but we talk about how we are much more capable than what we have shown here. So, the inconsistency is the one we need to address. And then we actually talk about that and looking forward to having a good show," said Hathurusingha. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup: Selective addition of ‘reserve day’ rule surprises Bangladesh head coach ahead of Sri Lanka tie

<p>As India gear up for the marquee clash against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup, Captain Rohit Sharma showered praise&nbsp;on coach Rahul Dravid, one record he wishes to break in the ODIs, and his thoughts on Rishabh Pant's game plan. The veteran batter - who holds the record of the highest individual score in ODI cricket, is close to breaking an unlikely record.</p>

<p>In a brief chat with the Indian Express, the Indian captain expressed his desire to break Chris Gayle's sixes record in the ODIs. While six-hitting machine Gayle has hit 553 sixes, Rohit is 16 behind with 539 sixes in his name. With India, due to play at least three matches in this ongoing Asia Cup 2023, three ODIs against Australia and the Cricket World Cup to follow, he has ample opportunity to go past Gayle and become the player with the most sixes in the 50-over format.</p>

<p>“I want to break Chris Gayle’s six-hitting record. Never in my life, I would have imagined that I will break the Chris Gayle’s record. It’s funny (flex muscles),” Rohit said as quoted by the Indian Express.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-reserve-day-added-to-india-vs-pakistan-super-four-game-in-colombo-633696">Asia Cup 2023: Reserve day added to India vs Pakistan Super Four game in Colombo</a></strong></p>

<p>Having paired alongside coach Rahul Dravid since taking over the white-call captaincy, Rohit said he has huge respect for 'The Wall' for being the genuine cricketer and person that he is.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I have a huge respect for Rahul Dravid. First for the person he is and then the cricketer. Because being a good human comes first then you are a cricketer, a footballer or a doctor. He is a genuine guy," Rohit said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I didn’t get much chance to play with him, but I now&nbsp;have got the opportunity to work with him in the past two years. He didn’t like to have a communication gap with any player or support staff. His simple rule is to communicate with everyone.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We have an open relationship. I have enjoyed my time with Rahul bhai. He is passing his knowledge about cricket to everyone,” the India captain said.</p>

<h2>Rohit's advice for Pant</h2>

<p>Rishabh Pant is recovering from the injuries he suffered in a serious road accident last year. Sharing his thoughts on what he expects from Pant once he returns to the Indian Team, Rohit said,&nbsp;“I want him to continue playing like this. He has backed his game. He is not stubborn, but taking risk is his game. He always says that ‘I play according to the situation.’ He don’t go and start slogging, he read the situation well.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


As India gear up for the marquee clash against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup, Captain Rohit Sharma showered praise on coach Rahul Dravid, one record he wishes to break in the ODIs, and his thoughts on Rishabh Pant's game plan.

As India gear up for the marquee clash against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup, Captain Rohit Sharma showered praise on coach Rahul Dravid, one record he wishes to break in the ODIs, and his thoughts on Rishabh Pant's game plan. The veteran batter - who holds the record of the highest individual score in ODI cricket, is close to breaking an unlikely record. In a brief chat with the Indian Express, the Indian captain expressed his desire to break Chris Gayle's sixes record in the ODIs. While six-hitting machine Gayle has hit 553 sixes, Rohit is 16 behind with 539 sixes in his name. With India, due to play at least three matches in this ongoing Asia Cup 2023, three ODIs against Australia and the Cricket World Cup to follow, he has ample opportunity to go past Gayle and become the player with the most sixes in the 50-over format. “I want to break Chris Gayle’s six-hitting record. Never in my life, I would have imagined that I will break the Chris Gayle’s record. It’s funny (flex muscles),” Rohit said as quoted by the Indian Express. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023: Reserve day added to India vs Pakistan Super Four game in Colombo Having paired alongside coach Rahul Dravid since taking over the white-call captaincy, Rohit said he has huge respect for 'The Wall' for being the genuine cricketer and person that he is. “I have a huge respect for Rahul Dravid. First for the person he is and then the cricketer. Because being a good human comes first then you are a cricketer, a footballer or a doctor. He is a genuine guy," Rohit said. “I didn’t get much chance to play with him, but I now have got the opportunity to work with him in the past two years. He didn’t like to have a communication gap with any player or support staff. His simple rule is to communicate with everyone.” “We have an open relationship. I have enjoyed my time with Rahul bhai. He is passing his knowledge about cricket to everyone,” the India captain said. Rohit's advice for Pant Rishabh Pant is recovering from the injuries he suffered in a serious road accident last year. Sharing his thoughts on what he expects from Pant once he returns to the Indian Team, Rohit said, “I want him to continue playing like this. He has backed his game. He is not stubborn, but taking risk is his game. He always says that ‘I play according to the situation.’ He don’t go and start slogging, he read the situation well.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Rohit Sharma eyes Chris Gayle's unique ODI record, showers praise on Rahul Dravid

<p>A reserve day has been added to the India vs. Pakistan Super Four game scheduled on September 10 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With this, the India-Pakistan tie will only be the second match in this tournament outside of the final (on September 17 in Colombo) to have a reserve day. However, the said change to the playing conditions has not been announced publicly by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). &nbsp;</p>

<p>During both games, with a provision for a reserve day, efforts would be made to ensure the match ends on the scheduled date, even if it means cutting down on overs in case of rainfall. If the situation comes and the reserve day needs to be taken, the game will begin from where it paused the previous day.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-a-plan-in-place-rejuvenated-ben-stokes-on-dealing-with-troubled-knee-injury-following-cwc-633621">There is a plan in place: Rejuvenated Ben Stokes on dealing with troubled knee injury following CWC</a></strong></p>

<p>Earlier, during the Group A match between both teams in Pallekele on &nbsp;September 2, the game got washed out. Although there were interruptions even during India's innings, after the end of the match, rain took over the proceedings as the match was abandoned. In India's next Group game against Nepal at the same venue, the rain trimmed down the contest as India chased down a modest total with ten wickets.</p>

<p>Since the forecast for Sunday and next week shows thunderstorms throughout, the PCB - the original host of the Asia Cup 2023, planned to move the games out of Colombo to Hambantota. The ACC in its revert, informed all stakeholders the request to shift games has been turned down as Colombo will stage all Super Four matches and the final.</p>

<h2>Sunday game between IND-PAK under rain threat</h2>

<p>Much like the first game between arch-rivals, their next scheduled encounter could suffer the same fate as the rain threat looms over the marquee clash with up to 90% chance of precipitation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, India's ace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will return to the ODI side. Though he was there in the XI for the Pakistan Group game, he didn't get to bowl. The right-handed seamer returned home for the birth of his first child and rejoined the Indian in the lead-up to the star-studded clash in Colombo.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


A reserve day has been added to the India vs. Pakistan Super Four game scheduled on September 10 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With this, the India-Pakistan tie will only be the second match in this tournament outside of the final (on September 17 in Colombo) to have a reserve day.

A reserve day has been added to the India vs. Pakistan Super Four game scheduled on September 10 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With this, the India-Pakistan tie will only be the second match in this tournament outside of the final (on September 17 in Colombo) to have a reserve day. However, the said change to the playing conditions has not been announced publicly by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). During both games, with a provision for a reserve day, efforts would be made to ensure the match ends on the scheduled date, even if it means cutting down on overs in case of rainfall. If the situation comes and the reserve day needs to be taken, the game will begin from where it paused the previous day. ALSO READ: There is a plan in place: Rejuvenated Ben Stokes on dealing with troubled knee injury following CWC Earlier, during the Group A match between both teams in Pallekele on September 2, the game got washed out. Although there were interruptions even during India's innings, after the end of the match, rain took over the proceedings as the match was abandoned. In India's next Group game against Nepal at the same venue, the rain trimmed down the contest as India chased down a modest total with ten wickets. Since the forecast for Sunday and next week shows thunderstorms throughout, the PCB - the original host of the Asia Cup 2023, planned to move the games out of Colombo to Hambantota. The ACC in its revert, informed all stakeholders the request to shift games has been turned down as Colombo will stage all Super Four matches and the final. Sunday game between IND-PAK under rain threat Much like the first game between arch-rivals, their next scheduled encounter could suffer the same fate as the rain threat looms over the marquee clash with up to 90% chance of precipitation. Meanwhile, India's ace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will return to the ODI side. Though he was there in the XI for the Pakistan Group game, he didn't get to bowl. The right-handed seamer returned home for the birth of his first child and rejoined the Indian in the lead-up to the star-studded clash in Colombo. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup 2023: Reserve day added to India vs Pakistan Super Four game in Colombo

<p>KL Rahul has joined the Indian Team in Colombo upon attaining a fitness clearance certificate from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Rahul, who got picked in the 17-man squad for the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, suffered a niggle during the conditioning camp and got ruled out for the first two games. Participating in his first indoor session in the lead-up to the marquee clash against Pakistan, Rahul looked fine, shared chief selector Ajit Agarkar.</p>

<p>KL Rahul was part of the group, including Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and Shardul Thakur, that trained under the watchful eyes of coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathore. Rahul started with a few throwdowns and batted in rotation with Iyer. Agarkar said Rahul didn't seem to be under any visible discomfort as he played some drives to perfection.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-former-india-opener-lauds-mohammad-rizwan-before-india-clash-claims-he-is-a-warrior-633267">Asia Cup 2023: Former opener lauds Mohammad Rizwan before India clash, claims 'he is a warrior'</a></strong></p>

<p>Both Agarkar and Captain Rohit Sharma insisted on having KL Rahul back in the setup, as he provided stability with bat and gloves in hand. Though in his absence, Ishan Kishan filled in the space quite nicely, hitting a stunning 82 against Pakistan in the first group game. Now, with Rahul back in the side, the right-handed batter could return to the playing XI for the first time since March.</p>

<p>"KL is looking good. We feel this gives us the best balance to try and do well," chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said after Rahul was named in the World Cup squad earlier this week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"With KL, he was part of the camp in Bengaluru. He looked really good there and has got over his niggle. He played a couple of games over the last two days. I think he kept for 50 overs and batted for around 50 overs too. So he looks good, and we're happy to have him."</p>

<p>Nuwan Seneviratne, the left-arm throwdown specialist, bowled to Rahul over the wicket before KL ran a few sprints in one of the nets. Rahul didn't keep wickets during any of the drills.</p>

<h2>Gill prepares for Shaheen&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Gill, India's highest-ranked batter in the ODIs, was found wanting against the left-arm bowling of Shaheen Afridi during the Group A game. Naseem Shah and Afridi troubled the right-hander as he got out for 10 off 32 balls.</p>

<p>The Indian youngster had a longish net session facing Seneviratne as he prepares for round two on Sunday, as both teams meet for the first time in Super Four.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


KL Rahul has joined the Indian Team in Colombo upon attaining a fitness clearance certificate from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Rahul, who got picked in the 17-man squad for the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, suffered a niggle during the conditioning camp and got ruled out for the first two games.

KL Rahul has joined the Indian Team in Colombo upon attaining a fitness clearance certificate from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Rahul, who got picked in the 17-man squad for the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, suffered a niggle during the conditioning camp and got ruled out for the first two games. Participating in his first indoor session in the lead-up to the marquee clash against Pakistan, Rahul looked fine, shared chief selector Ajit Agarkar. KL Rahul was part of the group, including Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and Shardul Thakur, that trained under the watchful eyes of coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathore. Rahul started with a few throwdowns and batted in rotation with Iyer. Agarkar said Rahul didn't seem to be under any visible discomfort as he played some drives to perfection. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023: Former opener lauds Mohammad Rizwan before India clash, claims 'he is a warrior' Both Agarkar and Captain Rohit Sharma insisted on having KL Rahul back in the setup, as he provided stability with bat and gloves in hand. Though in his absence, Ishan Kishan filled in the space quite nicely, hitting a stunning 82 against Pakistan in the first group game. Now, with Rahul back in the side, the right-handed batter could return to the playing XI for the first time since March. "KL is looking good. We feel this gives us the best balance to try and do well," chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said after Rahul was named in the World Cup squad earlier this week. "With KL, he was part of the camp in Bengaluru. He looked really good there and has got over his niggle. He played a couple of games over the last two days. I think he kept for 50 overs and batted for around 50 overs too. So he looks good, and we're happy to have him." Nuwan Seneviratne, the left-arm throwdown specialist, bowled to Rahul over the wicket before KL ran a few sprints in one of the nets. Rahul didn't keep wickets during any of the drills. Gill prepares for Shaheen Gill, India's highest-ranked batter in the ODIs, was found wanting against the left-arm bowling of Shaheen Afridi during the Group A game. Naseem Shah and Afridi troubled the right-hander as he got out for 10 off 32 balls. The Indian youngster had a longish net session facing Seneviratne as he prepares for round two on Sunday, as both teams meet for the first time in Super Four. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup: KL Rahul 'looking fit' upon joining Indian Team in Colombo ahead of Pakistan tie

<p>Former India opener Aakash Chopra was full of praise for Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan after he helped his side start on a positive note in the Super Four leg of Asia Cup 2023. Rizwan’s unbeaten 63 coupled with Imam-ul-Haq’s well-made 78-run knock helped Pakistan register a seven-wicket win against Bangladesh on Wednesday, September 6 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.</p>

<h2><strong>Chopra full of praise for Rizwan</strong></h2>

<p>"Mohammad Rizwan - I like this player a lot. He is a warrior and he keeps fighting. The more pressure you put on him, the more he flourishes. Whether you play him in T20Is, ODIs or Tests, somehow whenever Pakistan are struggling, it brings the best out of him,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.</p>

<p>Pakistan needed Rizwan and Co to be at their fluent best in the first Super Four clash as they continued their winning momentum. Rizwan in particular has been in great touch for the side, having scored five fifties in the ODI format since the turn of the year.</p>

<p>"Here also he stayed till the end and won them the match. He played very good sweeps and danced down the wicket to hit over cover. He plays spin extremely well and he has a very good pick-up shot against fast bowling. So Mohammad Rizwan is actually a very, very good player."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-2023-aryna-sabalenka-beats-chinas-zheng-qinwen-to-reach-semi-finals-633071">US Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka beats China's Zheng Qinwen to reach semi-finals</a></p>

<h2><strong>India vs Pakistan clash on cards</strong></h2>

<p>Rizwan’s next challenge will be against India in the high-voltage clash on Sunday, September 10. Pakistan were at their fluent best with the ball in the group stage meeting as they attempted to beat India for the sixth time in the tournament. However, the contest was called off due to rain.</p>

<p>Sunday’s clash will be the 15th meeting between the sides at the continental event with India leading 7-5 in the head-to-head tally. India qualified for the Super Four after beating Nepal by 10 wickets in a rain-curtailed contest while Pakistan beat the same opposition by 238 runs. The superior net run rate saw the co-hosts qualify as group winners for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Former India opener Aakash Chopra was full of praise for Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan after he helped his side start on a positive note in the Super Four leg of Asia Cup 2023.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra was full of praise for Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan after he helped his side start on a positive note in the Super Four leg of Asia Cup 2023. Rizwan’s unbeaten 63 coupled with Imam-ul-Haq’s well-made 78-run knock helped Pakistan register a seven-wicket win against Bangladesh on Wednesday, September 6 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Chopra full of praise for Rizwan "Mohammad Rizwan - I like this player a lot. He is a warrior and he keeps fighting. The more pressure you put on him, the more he flourishes. Whether you play him in T20Is, ODIs or Tests, somehow whenever Pakistan are struggling, it brings the best out of him,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. Pakistan needed Rizwan and Co to be at their fluent best in the first Super Four clash as they continued their winning momentum. Rizwan in particular has been in great touch for the side, having scored five fifties in the ODI format since the turn of the year. "Here also he stayed till the end and won them the match. He played very good sweeps and danced down the wicket to hit over cover. He plays spin extremely well and he has a very good pick-up shot against fast bowling. So Mohammad Rizwan is actually a very, very good player." ALSO READ | US Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka beats China's Zheng Qinwen to reach semi-finals India vs Pakistan clash on cards Rizwan’s next challenge will be against India in the high-voltage clash on Sunday, September 10. Pakistan were at their fluent best with the ball in the group stage meeting as they attempted to beat India for the sixth time in the tournament. However, the contest was called off due to rain. Sunday’s clash will be the 15th meeting between the sides at the continental event with India leading 7-5 in the head-to-head tally. India qualified for the Super Four after beating Nepal by 10 wickets in a rain-curtailed contest while Pakistan beat the same opposition by 238 runs. The superior net run rate saw the co-hosts qualify as group winners for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Former opener lauds Mohammad Rizwan before India clash, claims 'he is a warrior'

Social media users are calling out ticket-selling platforms for selling India vs Pakistan world cup match tickets for over $60,000. Are platforms taking advantage of the fans' excitement? Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: India vs Pakistan cricket match tickets selling for over $60,000

<p>The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is reportedly planning to stick to the original schedule&nbsp;as they prepare for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023. The ACC, initially thought to be considering Hambantota as an alternative for Colombo, are now reportedly keen on the original venue. It was predicted that, due to consistent rain in the national capital of Sri Lanka, the matches could get washed out and to avoid the scenario, the ACC was considering shifting the venues.</p>

<h2><strong>ACC to stick to the original plan?</strong></h2>

<p>According to Cricbuzz, ACC will stick to the original plan as the organisers try to avoid any reshuffle in the Colombo leg of the championship. The weather forecast in the region has improved in the last few hours and the anticipation of a match washout could be avoided. The tournament already has faced a washout with India’s contest against Pakistan called off on Saturday with a share of points.</p>

<p>On the other hand, the organisers want a fully-fledged game and are exploring all possible options. ACC initially planned to switch the venues as per a report on Monday, September 4. Rain was also a feature in India’s contest against Nepal on Monday when the match was trimmed.</p>

<p>A Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official, however, while speaking to ESPNCricinfo on Monday, September 4 said that logistics is the only issue in shifting games from Colombo to Hambantota. The venue, which receives the least rainfall in September in the island nation, has already been signed off as the venue, ESPNCricinfo reported further, citing PCB sources.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-hambantota-might-replace-colombo-as-venue-for-super-four-games-amid-rain-threat-632452">Asia Cup: Hambantota might replace Colombo as venue for Super Four games amid rain threat</a></p>

<p>Hambantota is on the southern coast of Sri Lanka near a jungle and the quality hotels are at least a 45-minute drive away. The SLC officials prefer to keep the games in Colombo but want Hambantota as the venue instead of Dambulla if the relocation happens. The reason given by the SLC officials to select Hambantota is the lack of floodlights in Dambulla.</p>

<p>The Super Four games are scheduled in Colombo on September 9, 10, 12, 14, and 15, with the final set to be played on September 17. There are six Super Four games to be played and one of them is to be played in Lahore on September 6 - the last match scheduled in Pakistan.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is reportedly planning to stick to the original schedule as they prepare for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023. The ACC, initially thought to be considering Hambantota as an alternative for Colombo, are now reportedly keen on the original venue.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is reportedly planning to stick to the original schedule as they prepare for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023. The ACC, initially thought to be considering Hambantota as an alternative for Colombo, are now reportedly keen on the original venue. It was predicted that, due to consistent rain in the national capital of Sri Lanka, the matches could get washed out and to avoid the scenario, the ACC was considering shifting the venues. ACC to stick to the original plan? According to Cricbuzz, ACC will stick to the original plan as the organisers try to avoid any reshuffle in the Colombo leg of the championship. The weather forecast in the region has improved in the last few hours and the anticipation of a match washout could be avoided. The tournament already has faced a washout with India’s contest against Pakistan called off on Saturday with a share of points. On the other hand, the organisers want a fully-fledged game and are exploring all possible options. ACC initially planned to switch the venues as per a report on Monday, September 4. Rain was also a feature in India’s contest against Nepal on Monday when the match was trimmed. A Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official, however, while speaking to ESPNCricinfo on Monday, September 4 said that logistics is the only issue in shifting games from Colombo to Hambantota. The venue, which receives the least rainfall in September in the island nation, has already been signed off as the venue, ESPNCricinfo reported further, citing PCB sources. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Hambantota might replace Colombo as venue for Super Four games amid rain threat Hambantota is on the southern coast of Sri Lanka near a jungle and the quality hotels are at least a 45-minute drive away. The SLC officials prefer to keep the games in Colombo but want Hambantota as the venue instead of Dambulla if the relocation happens. The reason given by the SLC officials to select Hambantota is the lack of floodlights in Dambulla. The Super Four games are scheduled in Colombo on September 9, 10, 12, 14, and 15, with the final set to be played on September 17. There are six Super Four games to be played and one of them is to be played in Lahore on September 6 - the last match scheduled in Pakistan. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Hambantota move on break as ACC plans to stay in Colombo - Reports

<p>India kicked off their campaign in the Asia Cup by taking on Babar Azam-led Pakistan on September 02 (Saturday) in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Opting to bat first, India were tottering at 27 for 2 and were further reduced to 66 for 4 before Ishan Kishan, batting at No. 5 for injured KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya stitched an impressive 138-run fifth-wicket stand as India managed to recover.</p>

<p>Eventually, Kishan (82) and Hardik (87) enabled India to post 266 all-out in 48.5 overs before rain abandoned the remainder of the game. While India's top-order continued to struggle versus Pakistan's pacers, especially Shaheen Afridi, Kishan gave a good account of himself while batting in a tough situation and was ably supported by white-ball vice-captain Hardik. After the game, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar lauded the 25-year-old despite the youngster missing out on a much-deserved century.</p>

<p>Gavaskar told&nbsp;<i>India Today,&nbsp;</i>"Got to give credit to the young man for coming in a crisis situation and scoring 82 runs and having that partnership. I think if he was discomforted by some injury, it is only natural for him to think that because he cannot run fast between the wickets, he should be looking for the boundary. So that's totally understandable at all. So I wouldn't point a finger at him at all. I would just pat him on the back and say well done to the young man<i>."</i></p>

<p>Kishan played his shots whenever offered enough room but was very calculative in his approach during his solid stand with Hardik. He took his chances versus the spinners and rotated the strike as well but lost his wicket for 82, dismissed by Haris Rauf in the 38th over. He missed out on a big knock, however, led India's recovery with a lot of maturity.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-fully-fit-jasprit-bumrah-returns-home-ahead-of-indias-second-group-game-reports-632010">Asia Cup: Fully-fit Jasprit Bumrah returns home ahead of India's second group game against Nepal - Reports</a></strong></p>

<p>Meanwhile, the former Indian opener also heaped praise on Hardik, who top-scored for the Men in Blue with a fine 87. "I think again no praise can be too high for the way he shepherded Ishan Kishan through that partnership. And of course, scoring runs himself hitting the boundaries, picking the ones and twos. And he showed that, you know, in a crisis situation to rise to the occasion, that was terrific innings," Gavaskar added.</p>

<p>On Monday (September 04), India took on lowly-ranked Nepal and the winner will join Pakistan, from Group A, in&nbsp;the Super Four. Talking about Kishan, he has made a strong case for himself, with the BCCI selectors set to name the 15-man provisional squad for next month's home ODI World Cup very soon.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


India kicked off their campaign in the Asia Cup by taking on Babar Azam-led Pakistan on September 02 (Saturday) in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Opting to bat first, India were tottering at 27 for 2 and were further reduced to 66 for 4 before Ishan Kishan, batting at No.

India kicked off their campaign in the Asia Cup by taking on Babar Azam-led Pakistan on September 02 (Saturday) in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Opting to bat first, India were tottering at 27 for 2 and were further reduced to 66 for 4 before Ishan Kishan, batting at No. 5 for injured KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya stitched an impressive 138-run fifth-wicket stand as India managed to recover. Eventually, Kishan (82) and Hardik (87) enabled India to post 266 all-out in 48.5 overs before rain abandoned the remainder of the game. While India's top-order continued to struggle versus Pakistan's pacers, especially Shaheen Afridi, Kishan gave a good account of himself while batting in a tough situation and was ably supported by white-ball vice-captain Hardik. After the game, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar lauded the 25-year-old despite the youngster missing out on a much-deserved century. Gavaskar told India Today, "Got to give credit to the young man for coming in a crisis situation and scoring 82 runs and having that partnership. I think if he was discomforted by some injury, it is only natural for him to think that because he cannot run fast between the wickets, he should be looking for the boundary. So that's totally understandable at all. So I wouldn't point a finger at him at all. I would just pat him on the back and say well done to the young man." Kishan played his shots whenever offered enough room but was very calculative in his approach during his solid stand with Hardik. He took his chances versus the spinners and rotated the strike as well but lost his wicket for 82, dismissed by Haris Rauf in the 38th over. He missed out on a big knock, however, led India's recovery with a lot of maturity. Also read: Asia Cup: Fully-fit Jasprit Bumrah returns home ahead of India's second group game against Nepal - Reports Meanwhile, the former Indian opener also heaped praise on Hardik, who top-scored for the Men in Blue with a fine 87. "I think again no praise can be too high for the way he shepherded Ishan Kishan through that partnership. And of course, scoring runs himself hitting the boundaries, picking the ones and twos. And he showed that, you know, in a crisis situation to rise to the occasion, that was terrific innings," Gavaskar added. On Monday (September 04), India took on lowly-ranked Nepal and the winner will join Pakistan, from Group A, in the Super Four. Talking about Kishan, he has made a strong case for himself, with the BCCI selectors set to name the 15-man provisional squad for next month's home ODI World Cup very soon. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wouldn't point a finger at him: Gavaskar in awe of Ishan Kishan after his heroics vs Pakistan in Asia Cup

<p>Rain played spoilsport in the high-voltage contest between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday, September 2,&nbsp;in Kandy, and the points were shared by the arch-rivals. The contest was marred by rain from the start after which both teams shared the points resulting in Pakistan securing their place in the Super Four stage. The draw also means India will have to beat Nepal on Monday to clinch a place in the Super Four while an unlikely defeat could see them get knocked out early.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The rain has a final say as the match is Called Off!<br />
<br />
Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/hPVV0wT83S">https://t.co/hPVV0wT83S</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup2023</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/XgEEkjvrC5">pic.twitter.com/XgEEkjvrC5</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1698017304137941368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>Rain plays spoilsport</strong></h2>

<p>Asked to chase 267, Pakistan’s innings never started as the rain was the consistent feature on the ground. The ground staff spent more time on the field than the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, and the contest was called off at around 9:40 pm IST. The conditions were deemed not suitable by the umpires and ultimately the decision was taken to call off the contest. The conditions were not suitable for further play and the result was declared a draw with a share of the spoils.</p>

<h2><strong>India make poor start</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier, the Men in Blue did not have the best of starts after rain halted the play initially. Shaheen Afridi wreaked havoc in the top order with quickfire wickets of Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4). With India already on the back foot, Pakistan further increased the pressure as they got the better of Shreyas Iyer (14) and Shubman Gill (10), reducing India to 66/4 in 14 overs. Haris Rauf got the better of the latter pair as he too joined the part for Pakistan.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/javelin-champion-neeraj-chopra-eyes-gold-in-diamond-league-and-asian-games-but-staying-fit-remains-priority-631594">Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority</a></p>

<h2><strong>Ishan, Hardik save the day</strong></h2>

<p>As India were struggling, Ishan and Hardik built a terrific 138-run stand for the fifth wicket pulling the Men in Blue out of danger. Both the batters were aggressive with their approach as Ishan scored at a strike rate of 101 while Hardik was also scoring at almost 100. Ishan’s 82-run innings included two sixes and nine fours while Hardik’s innings boasted of one six and seven fours.</p>

<p>India will next face Nepal on Monday, with the margin of win to determine India’s position in the group. India will have to beat Nepal by a big margin to win the group but will play their Super Four clash in Sri Lanka if they qualify. Pakistan will travel back to their homeland to play their Super Four clash. An unlikely win for Nepal though could see them qualify for the Super Four at India’s expense.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Rain played spoilsport in the high-voltage contest between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday, September 2, in Kandy, and the points were shared by the arch-rivals.

Rain played spoilsport in the high-voltage contest between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday, September 2, in Kandy, and the points were shared by the arch-rivals. The contest was marred by rain from the start after which both teams shared the points resulting in Pakistan securing their place in the Super Four stage. The draw also means India will have to beat Nepal on Monday to clinch a place in the Super Four while an unlikely defeat could see them get knocked out early. The rain has a final say as the match is Called Off! Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/hPVV0wT83S #AsiaCup2023 | #TeamIndia | #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/XgEEkjvrC5 — BCCI (@BCCI) September 2, 2023 × Rain plays spoilsport Asked to chase 267, Pakistan’s innings never started as the rain was the consistent feature on the ground. The ground staff spent more time on the field than the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, and the contest was called off at around 9:40 pm IST. The conditions were deemed not suitable by the umpires and ultimately the decision was taken to call off the contest. The conditions were not suitable for further play and the result was declared a draw with a share of the spoils. India make poor start Earlier, the Men in Blue did not have the best of starts after rain halted the play initially. Shaheen Afridi wreaked havoc in the top order with quickfire wickets of Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4). With India already on the back foot, Pakistan further increased the pressure as they got the better of Shreyas Iyer (14) and Shubman Gill (10), reducing India to 66/4 in 14 overs. Haris Rauf got the better of the latter pair as he too joined the part for Pakistan. ALSO READ | Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority Ishan, Hardik save the day As India were struggling, Ishan and Hardik built a terrific 138-run stand for the fifth wicket pulling the Men in Blue out of danger. Both the batters were aggressive with their approach as Ishan scored at a strike rate of 101 while Hardik was also scoring at almost 100. Ishan’s 82-run innings included two sixes and nine fours while Hardik’s innings boasted of one six and seven fours. India will next face Nepal on Monday, with the margin of win to determine India’s position in the group. India will have to beat Nepal by a big margin to win the group but will play their Super Four clash in Sri Lanka if they qualify. Pakistan will travel back to their homeland to play their Super Four clash. An unlikely win for Nepal though could see them qualify for the Super Four at India’s expense. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup: Rain plays spoilsport in Kandy as Ind vs Pak contest called off; Pakistan clinch Super Four spot

<p>The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is contemplating shifting the Asia Cup Super Four matches from Colombo to Dambulla due to heavy rains in Sri Lanka’s capital city. As the monsoon is at its peak in this part of the world, two of the three main venues (outside of Dambulla) – Pallekele and Colombo, are expected to receive excessive rains in the coming days, as per the latest report. An example of this was the washed-out marquee clash between India and Pakistan on Saturday in Kandy.</p>

<p>All teams are said to be made aware of the situation as the ACC is now looking out for alternatives.</p>

<p>After BCCI refused to travel to Pakistan — the original host of this edition of the Asia Cup, due to stranded relations between both countries, Sri Lanka was picked as the second venue in the first-ever hybrid model. Though the Island Nation never hosts international matches this season, especially during the first half of September due to heavy rains, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) accepted this proposal.</p>

<p>While as per the schedule, Colombo will host Super Four matches from September 9 onwards, the current situation there, which could change by then, is making the decision-makers worry about more abandoned games in this tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/politics-over-sport-ex-pcb-chief-slams-asia-cup-scheduling-after-india-pakistan-washout-game-in-kandy-631987">Politics over sport! Ex-PCB chief slams Asia Cup scheduling after India-Pakistan washout game in Kandy</a></strong></p>

<p>As Sri Lanka had earlier proposed Dambulla – a dryer region in comparison to Kandy and Colombo, as one of the venues to host the group stage and Super Four matches, the reluctance from the teams and broadcasters to travel there prompted all parties concerned to pick the remaining two venues.</p>

<p>The Indian Express reported that ACC could finalise the venue debate in the next 24-48 hours.</p>

<p>Beyond the Pakistan leg (which is supposed to host four matches, one in Multan and the remaining three in Lahore), all games will be played in Sri Lanka, including the final on September 17.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India-Pakistan washed-out game in Pallekele, Kandy, drew a lot of criticism over the Asia Cup schedule, with former PCB chief Najam Sethi also taking a jibe at the BCCI for choosing politics over cricket.</p>

<p>While serving as the PCB head, Sethi had proposed UAE as the second option after learning about India’s stance of not travelling to Pakistan for the six-team tournament. The BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, who is also ACC head, denied it, citing excessive heat and unfavourable playing conditions as reasons behind it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a result, Sri Lanka was chosen as the second venue, with India scheduled to play their matches in the Island Nation only. Meanwhile, India’s game against Nepal is also said to be under threat due to heavy rains.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is contemplating shifting the Asia Cup Super Four matches from Colombo to Dambulla due to heavy rains in Sri Lanka’s capital city.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is contemplating shifting the Asia Cup Super Four matches from Colombo to Dambulla due to heavy rains in Sri Lanka’s capital city. As the monsoon is at its peak in this part of the world, two of the three main venues (outside of Dambulla) – Pallekele and Colombo, are expected to receive excessive rains in the coming days, as per the latest report. An example of this was the washed-out marquee clash between India and Pakistan on Saturday in Kandy. All teams are said to be made aware of the situation as the ACC is now looking out for alternatives. After BCCI refused to travel to Pakistan — the original host of this edition of the Asia Cup, due to stranded relations between both countries, Sri Lanka was picked as the second venue in the first-ever hybrid model. Though the Island Nation never hosts international matches this season, especially during the first half of September due to heavy rains, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) accepted this proposal. While as per the schedule, Colombo will host Super Four matches from September 9 onwards, the current situation there, which could change by then, is making the decision-makers worry about more abandoned games in this tournament. ALSO READ: Politics over sport! Ex-PCB chief slams Asia Cup scheduling after India-Pakistan washout game in Kandy As Sri Lanka had earlier proposed Dambulla – a dryer region in comparison to Kandy and Colombo, as one of the venues to host the group stage and Super Four matches, the reluctance from the teams and broadcasters to travel there prompted all parties concerned to pick the remaining two venues. The Indian Express reported that ACC could finalise the venue debate in the next 24-48 hours. Beyond the Pakistan leg (which is supposed to host four matches, one in Multan and the remaining three in Lahore), all games will be played in Sri Lanka, including the final on September 17. India-Pakistan washed-out game in Pallekele, Kandy, drew a lot of criticism over the Asia Cup schedule, with former PCB chief Najam Sethi also taking a jibe at the BCCI for choosing politics over cricket. While serving as the PCB head, Sethi had proposed UAE as the second option after learning about India’s stance of not travelling to Pakistan for the six-team tournament. The BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, who is also ACC head, denied it, citing excessive heat and unfavourable playing conditions as reasons behind it. As a result, Sri Lanka was chosen as the second venue, with India scheduled to play their matches in the Island Nation only. Meanwhile, India’s game against Nepal is also said to be under threat due to heavy rains. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

ACC plans to move Asia Cup Super Four matches from Colombo to Dambulla due to heavy rains - Reports

<p>Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi launched a scathing attack on the Asia Cup scheduling after the marquee clash between India and Pakistan in Kandy, Sri Lanka, ended in a no-result, courtesy of rain playing a spoilsport. Sethi, who was in charge of the board when the decision of Pakistan and Sri Lanka to co-host the Asia Cup broke out, had suggested UAE as one of the alternatives, which BCCI denied due to unfavourable playing conditions during these months.</p>

<p>Owing to strained relations between India and Pakistan, the Indian government&nbsp;denied BCCI permission to allow its team to travel to Pakistan – the original host of this year’s Asia Cup. After learning about India’s stance, the PCB had to compromise on the hosting rights as Sri Lanka and not the UAE was roped in as the last-moment co-host of the six-team tournament.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-to-undergo-fitness-test-on-september-4-as-bcci-keen-on-picking-him-in-world-cup-squad-reports-631973">KL Rahul to undergo fitness test on September 4 as BCCI keen on picking him in World Cup squad – Reports</a></strong></p>

<p>Sethi, who got re-appointed as the PCB head after Ramiz Raja was unceremoniously asked to vacate the position, had proposed UAE as one of the alternatives. Jay Shah, BCCI’s secretary and ACC boss, denied the proposal, citing excessive heat and unfavourable conditions during August-September. As a result, Sri Lanka was picked as the second option.</p>

<p>Expressing his frustration and displeasure over the missed opportunity, Sethi took to social media saying, owing to picking politics over sports, players, fans and everyone got robbed of watching a great game of cricket between two arch-rivals.<br />
<br />
Sethi wrote, “How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE but poor excuses were made to accommodate Sri Lanka. Too hot in Dubai, they said. But it was as hot when the Asia Cup was played there last time in Sep 2022 or when IPL was played there in April 2014 and Sep 2020. Politics over sport. Unforgivable!”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE but poor excuses were made to accommodate Sri Lanka. Too hot in Dubai, they said. But it was as hot when the Asia Cup was played there last time in…</p>
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) <a href="https://twitter.com/najamsethi/status/1698017998756622397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>India-Pakistan game ended with no-result</h2>

<p>India batted first after winning the toss in Kandy. Their batting got reduced to 66 for four at one stage, with Pakistan seamers all over their star players early on.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya hit crucial fifties to propel India to a fighting total before rain stopped play, and the game got abandoned later on.</p>

<p>Due to a no-result, India and Pakistan shared a point each, and Pakistan cruised to the Super Four with a win and a draw in two games.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For India to cruise ahead, they now have to beat Nepal in their next clash on September 4 in Kandy.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi launched a scathing attack on the Asia Cup scheduling after the marquee clash between India and Pakistan in Kandy, Sri Lanka, ended in a no-result, courtesy of rain playing a spoilsport.

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi launched a scathing attack on the Asia Cup scheduling after the marquee clash between India and Pakistan in Kandy, Sri Lanka, ended in a no-result, courtesy of rain playing a spoilsport. Sethi, who was in charge of the board when the decision of Pakistan and Sri Lanka to co-host the Asia Cup broke out, had suggested UAE as one of the alternatives, which BCCI denied due to unfavourable playing conditions during these months. Owing to strained relations between India and Pakistan, the Indian government denied BCCI permission to allow its team to travel to Pakistan – the original host of this year’s Asia Cup. After learning about India’s stance, the PCB had to compromise on the hosting rights as Sri Lanka and not the UAE was roped in as the last-moment co-host of the six-team tournament. ALSO READ: KL Rahul to undergo fitness test on September 4 as BCCI keen on picking him in World Cup squad – Reports Sethi, who got re-appointed as the PCB head after Ramiz Raja was unceremoniously asked to vacate the position, had proposed UAE as one of the alternatives. Jay Shah, BCCI’s secretary and ACC boss, denied the proposal, citing excessive heat and unfavourable conditions during August-September. As a result, Sri Lanka was picked as the second option. Expressing his frustration and displeasure over the missed opportunity, Sethi took to social media saying, owing to picking politics over sports, players, fans and everyone got robbed of watching a great game of cricket between two arch-rivals. Sethi wrote, “How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE but poor excuses were made to accommodate Sri Lanka. Too hot in Dubai, they said. But it was as hot when the Asia Cup was played there last time in Sep 2022 or when IPL was played there in April 2014 and Sep 2020. Politics over sport. Unforgivable!” How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE but poor excuses were made to accommodate Sri Lanka. Too hot in Dubai, they said. But it was as hot when the Asia Cup was played there last time in… — Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) September 2, 2023 × India-Pakistan game ended with no-result India batted first after winning the toss in Kandy. Their batting got reduced to 66 for four at one stage, with Pakistan seamers all over their star players early on. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya hit crucial fifties to propel India to a fighting total before rain stopped play, and the game got abandoned later on. Due to a no-result, India and Pakistan shared a point each, and Pakistan cruised to the Super Four with a win and a draw in two games. For India to cruise ahead, they now have to beat Nepal in their next clash on September 4 in Kandy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Politics over sport! Ex-PCB chief slams Asia Cup scheduling after India-Pakistan washout game in Kandy

<p>Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir, who was famous for having many confrontations on the ground, especially with Pakistan players, said that he's not in favour of on-field camaraderie between opposition players. Gambhir's comments came after Indian players were seen mingling with Pakistan players during the Asia Cup 2023 tie on Saturday, September 2 in Kandy, Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>Gambhir, now a Member of Parliament in India, was part of the mid-game show on Star Network. He also said that because of this 'bonding' shown by the players, the games nowadays don't have much aggression.</p>

<p>“When you play on the field for your national team, you must leave the friendship outside the boundary ropes. Game face is a must. Friendship should stay outside. There has to be an aggression in the eyes of both sets of players. You can be as friendly as you want after those six or seven hours of cricket. Those hours are very important, because you’re not just representing yourself, you’re representing a nation of over a billion,” Gambhir said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-former-pakistan-pm-shehbaz-sharif-takes-a-swipe-at-indian-batters-after-shaheen-afridis-wickets-631881">Asia Cup: Former Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif takes a SWIPE at Indian batters after Shaheen Afridi's wickets</a></p>

<p>“These days you see players of rival teams patting each other on the back and exchanging fist bumps during a match. You would never see that a few years ago. You are playing a friendly match only,” he added.</p>

<p>The former cricketer, who had multiple fights with Pakistan players during his playing days, was also asked about his fight with Pak keeper Kamran Akmal in 2010 Asia Cup. Gambhir said that there's no bad blood between them despite that argument.</p>

<p>“We’re very good friends. In fact, I gave him a bat and he gave me a bat too. I played one whole season with a bat Kamran had given me. We spoke for an hour recently,” Gambhir said.</p>

<p>As of the match in Asia Cup 2023, India batted first and scored 266 in 48.5 overs before rain washed out the chase and the match was abandoned.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir, who was famous for having many confrontations on the ground, especially with Pakistan players, said that he's not in favour of on-field camaraderie between opposition players.

Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir, who was famous for having many confrontations on the ground, especially with Pakistan players, said that he's not in favour of on-field camaraderie between opposition players. Gambhir's comments came after Indian players were seen mingling with Pakistan players during the Asia Cup 2023 tie on Saturday, September 2 in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Gambhir, now a Member of Parliament in India, was part of the mid-game show on Star Network. He also said that because of this 'bonding' shown by the players, the games nowadays don't have much aggression. “When you play on the field for your national team, you must leave the friendship outside the boundary ropes. Game face is a must. Friendship should stay outside. There has to be an aggression in the eyes of both sets of players. You can be as friendly as you want after those six or seven hours of cricket. Those hours are very important, because you’re not just representing yourself, you’re representing a nation of over a billion,” Gambhir said. Also Read: Asia Cup: Former Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif takes a SWIPE at Indian batters after Shaheen Afridi's wickets “These days you see players of rival teams patting each other on the back and exchanging fist bumps during a match. You would never see that a few years ago. You are playing a friendly match only,” he added. The former cricketer, who had multiple fights with Pakistan players during his playing days, was also asked about his fight with Pak keeper Kamran Akmal in 2010 Asia Cup. Gambhir said that there's no bad blood between them despite that argument. “We’re very good friends. In fact, I gave him a bat and he gave me a bat too. I played one whole season with a bat Kamran had given me. We spoke for an hour recently,” Gambhir said. As of the match in Asia Cup 2023, India batted first and scored 266 in 48.5 overs before rain washed out the chase and the match was abandoned. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup: Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir not in favour of FRIENDSHIP between players during match

<p>Pakistan Captain Babar Azam admits his side is not feeling the pressure of the high-voltage clash against India in Asia Cup 2023; instead, his team is a step ahead of their opponents for playing more games in Sri Lanka lately. While Pakistan began their Asia Cup campaign with a thumping win over Nepal in the opener in Multan, the upcoming clash would be India’s first in this six-team tournament.</p>

<p>As both teams gear up to face off in the marquee clash for a fight to stay on top and eye for the trophy, Babar backs his team to beat the odds and deliver on the D-day. Ahead of the start of this tournament, Pakistan played a two-match Test series in the Island Nation before taking on Afghanistan in the three-match ODIs. A few players were also part of the Lankan Premier League (LPL).</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-game-3-india-vs-pakistan-match-preview-team-line-ups-and-weather-report-631642">Asia Cup 2023, Game 3 – India vs Pakistan – Match Preview, team line-ups and weather report</a></strong></p>

<p>Speaking on the same lines, Babar said spending more time in Sri Lanka helped them get used to the conditions that give them an edge over India.</p>

<p>"We've been here for the last two months," Babar told media personals on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We played the Tests [against Sri Lanka] here, then the LPL and then the Afghanistan series. We have a decent knowledge of the conditions, and the wicket looks like a sporting one. I've found Sri Lankan conditions pretty similar to Pakistani and Indian conditions. You take time when you come in to bat, and bowl in the right channels,” the Pakistan Captain added.</p>

<h2>‘We want to continue our momentum</h2>

<p>With the right team balance and the form on their side, Pakistan is confident of turning the tables against India. Breaking the notion of Pakistan starting the contest against their arch-rivals as the underdogs, Babar said his team is under no pressure and wants to build on the momentum instead.</p>

<p>Babar added he is happy with how his team is progressing and that he banks on the batting order to stand tall against a seam-heavy Indian attack.</p>

<p>"I don't think we feel the pressure of this game," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We're focusing on what we can control. We want to continue our momentum. The boys are excited. You know India-Pakistan is a high-intensity match, and the fans wait for it for a while. We're similarly excited. We're going to stick with the same top order; but if we don't get a good start, I am encouraged by the middle order stepping up. They're chipping in. We had been lagging in the middle order for a while, but they're responding well now,” Babar added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Pakistan Captain Babar Azam admits his side is not feeling the pressure of the high-voltage clash against India in Asia Cup 2023; instead, his team is a step ahead of their opponents for playing more games in Sri Lanka lately.

Pakistan Captain Babar Azam admits his side is not feeling the pressure of the high-voltage clash against India in Asia Cup 2023; instead, his team is a step ahead of their opponents for playing more games in Sri Lanka lately. While Pakistan began their Asia Cup campaign with a thumping win over Nepal in the opener in Multan, the upcoming clash would be India’s first in this six-team tournament. As both teams gear up to face off in the marquee clash for a fight to stay on top and eye for the trophy, Babar backs his team to beat the odds and deliver on the D-day. Ahead of the start of this tournament, Pakistan played a two-match Test series in the Island Nation before taking on Afghanistan in the three-match ODIs. A few players were also part of the Lankan Premier League (LPL). ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023, Game 3 – India vs Pakistan – Match Preview, team line-ups and weather report Speaking on the same lines, Babar said spending more time in Sri Lanka helped them get used to the conditions that give them an edge over India. "We've been here for the last two months," Babar told media personals on Friday. “We played the Tests [against Sri Lanka] here, then the LPL and then the Afghanistan series. We have a decent knowledge of the conditions, and the wicket looks like a sporting one. I've found Sri Lankan conditions pretty similar to Pakistani and Indian conditions. You take time when you come in to bat, and bowl in the right channels,” the Pakistan Captain added. ‘We want to continue our momentum With the right team balance and the form on their side, Pakistan is confident of turning the tables against India. Breaking the notion of Pakistan starting the contest against their arch-rivals as the underdogs, Babar said his team is under no pressure and wants to build on the momentum instead. Babar added he is happy with how his team is progressing and that he banks on the batting order to stand tall against a seam-heavy Indian attack. "I don't think we feel the pressure of this game," he said. "We're focusing on what we can control. We want to continue our momentum. The boys are excited. You know India-Pakistan is a high-intensity match, and the fans wait for it for a while. We're similarly excited. We're going to stick with the same top order; but if we don't get a good start, I am encouraged by the middle order stepping up. They're chipping in. We had been lagging in the middle order for a while, but they're responding well now,” Babar added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup 2023: We don’t feel pressure of this game: Pakistan captain Babar Azam ahead of crucial India tie

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidyq9xDnN6GCYa" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Cricket’s biggest rivalry is upon us as it’s time for India vs. Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023.</p>

<p>Two Asian giants will cross paths in ODIs for the first time in four years. The arch-rivals share a history – both on and off the field like none other. With one eye on the Asia Cup trophy, India and Pakistan will bring their A-Game to the table on Saturday. The high-octane clash will take place in Pallekele, Kandy. Get all the latest updates regarding the weather, team line-ups and who remains the favourite to win.</p>

<p>The hosts Pakistan began their Asia Cup campaign with a massive 238-run win over Nepal in the tournament opener. Twin centuries from their Captain Babar Azam and middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed gave the side the much-needed confidence ahead of the marquee clash against India. Handy contributions from their bowling attack further strengthened their chances against the top-tier Indian Team.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-2023-former-captain-makes-big-remarks-on-kl-rahuls-inclusion-says-thats-gonna-be-sad-but-631378">CWC 2023: Former captain makes big remarks on KL Rahul's inclusion, says 'that's gonna be sad, but...'</a></strong></p>

<p>With Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, accompanied by bowling all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan poses one of the best attacks in the world.</p>

<p>On the other hand, the onus will fall on the batters for the Men in Blue. While Rohit Sharma-led side holds an upper hand in the head-to-head record (4-1) in the last five ODIs between the two sides, Pakistan’s recent outings against India in the T20 World Cups will keep them on their toes.</p>

<p>All eyes will be on India’s top three, with Kohli hogging the limelight, given his numbers against Pakistan in this format in particular. With Shreyas Iyer returning to the side for the first time since March and Ishan Kishan playing alongside him in KL’s absence, India’s new-look middle order will have a task at hand to deliver on the big day.</p>

<p>Besides, India’s bowling was boosted with Bumrah’s return as he looks set to lead the seam-heavy pace attack.</p>

<h3><strong>Team Line-ups&nbsp;</strong></h3>

<p>While Pakistan announced an unchanged XI for the India game, the Indian Team will name a final team during the toss.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here’s Pakistan’s XI for India tie –</p>

<p>Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf</p>

<p>India’s Predicted XI vs Pakistan –</p>

<p>Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah</p>

<h3><strong>Weather update –</strong></h3>

<p>Though it didn’t rain during the previous game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the same venue, several reports suggest the weather forecast for D-Day predicts 90% rain, which could also play a spoilsport.</p>

<p>The match begins at 2:50 PM IST, with the toss at 2:30 PM.</p>

<h3><strong>Result Prediction -</strong></h3>

<p>With team balance and form on their side, Pakistan could walk out as winners in this clash against India.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Cricket’s biggest rivalry is upon us as it’s time for India vs. Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023. Two Asian giants will cross paths in ODIs for the first time in four years.

Cricket’s biggest rivalry is upon us as it’s time for India vs. Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023. Two Asian giants will cross paths in ODIs for the first time in four years. The arch-rivals share a history – both on and off the field like none other. With one eye on the Asia Cup trophy, India and Pakistan will bring their A-Game to the table on Saturday. The high-octane clash will take place in Pallekele, Kandy. Get all the latest updates regarding the weather, team line-ups and who remains the favourite to win. The hosts Pakistan began their Asia Cup campaign with a massive 238-run win over Nepal in the tournament opener. Twin centuries from their Captain Babar Azam and middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed gave the side the much-needed confidence ahead of the marquee clash against India. Handy contributions from their bowling attack further strengthened their chances against the top-tier Indian Team. ALSO READ: CWC 2023: Former captain makes big remarks on KL Rahul's inclusion, says 'that's gonna be sad, but...' With Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, accompanied by bowling all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan poses one of the best attacks in the world. On the other hand, the onus will fall on the batters for the Men in Blue. While Rohit Sharma-led side holds an upper hand in the head-to-head record (4-1) in the last five ODIs between the two sides, Pakistan’s recent outings against India in the T20 World Cups will keep them on their toes. All eyes will be on India’s top three, with Kohli hogging the limelight, given his numbers against Pakistan in this format in particular. With Shreyas Iyer returning to the side for the first time since March and Ishan Kishan playing alongside him in KL’s absence, India’s new-look middle order will have a task at hand to deliver on the big day. Besides, India’s bowling was boosted with Bumrah’s return as he looks set to lead the seam-heavy pace attack. Team Line-ups While Pakistan announced an unchanged XI for the India game, the Indian Team will name a final team during the toss. Here’s Pakistan’s XI for India tie – Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf India’s Predicted XI vs Pakistan – Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah Weather update – Though it didn’t rain during the previous game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the same venue, several reports suggest the weather forecast for D-Day predicts 90% rain, which could also play a spoilsport. The match begins at 2:50 PM IST, with the toss at 2:30 PM. Result Prediction - With team balance and form on their side, Pakistan could walk out as winners in this clash against India. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Asia Cup 2023, Game 3 – India vs Pakistan – Match Preview, team line-ups and weather report

<p>India reached a respectable total in their innings in the high-voltage clash against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday, September 2. After a disappointing start to the contest for Rohit Sharma’s men at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, a mature&nbsp;innings of 87 runs from Hardik Pandya and an 82-run knock from Ishan Kishan helped India reach 266 in 48.5 overs. For Pakistan Shaheen Shah Afridi wreaked havoc after he scalped four wickets while Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf ended with three wickets each.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Innings Break!<br />
<br />
A solid show with the bat from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>! 👌 👌<br />
<br />
8⃣7⃣ for vice-captain <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya7</a><br />
8⃣2⃣ for <a href="https://twitter.com/ishankishan51?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ishankishan51</a><br />
<br />
Over to our bowlers now 👍 👍<br />
<br />
Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/hPVV0wT83S">https://t.co/hPVV0wT83S</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup23</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/15SNzWM0k1">pic.twitter.com/15SNzWM0k1</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1697979640068071536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>India make poor start</strong></h2>

<p>The Men in Blue did not have the best of starts after rain halted the play initially. However, Shaheen Afridi would then wreak havoc with quickfire wickets of Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4). With India on the back foot, Pakistan further increased the pressure as they got the better of Shreyas Iyer (14) and Shubman Gill (10) reducing India to 66/4 in 14 overs. Haris Rauf got the better of the latter pair as he too joined the part for Pakistan.</p>

<h2><strong>Ishan, Hardik save India’s day</strong></h2>

<p>As India were struggling, Ishan and Hardik built a terrific 138-run stand for the fifth wicket as the Men in Blue came out of danger. Both the batters were aggressive with their approach as Ishan scored at a strike rate of 101 while Hardik was also scoring at almost 100. Ishan’s 82-run innings contained two sixes and nine fours while Hardik’s innings included one six and seven fours.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/javelin-champion-neeraj-chopra-eyes-gold-in-diamond-league-and-asian-games-but-staying-fit-remains-priority-631594">Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority</a></p>

<p>The Mumbai Indians batter justified his selection in the team and also became the fourth wicketkeeper to score a fifty against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, joining MS Dhoni. It was also Ishan’s fourth consecutive fifty in the 50-over format, having scored three during three during the West Indies tour.</p>

<p>On the other hand, once Ishan and Hardik were dismissed Pakistan were back in the contest as Afridi added two more wickets to his tally. Haris Rauf also added one more to his tally while Nassem Shah was also excellent in his approach with three wickets. Interestingly, all the 10 wickets for Pakistan were scalped by pacers, highlighting their dominance with the ball.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


India reached a respectable total in their innings in the high-voltage clash against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday, September 2. After a disappointing start to the contest for Rohit Sharma’s men at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, a mature innings of 87 runs from Hardik Pandya and an 82-run knock from Ishan Kishan helped India reach 266 in 48.

India reached a respectable total in their innings in the high-voltage clash against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday, September 2. After a disappointing start to the contest for Rohit Sharma’s men at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, a mature innings of 87 runs from Hardik Pandya and an 82-run knock from Ishan Kishan helped India reach 266 in 48.5 overs. For Pakistan Shaheen Shah Afridi wreaked havoc after he scalped four wickets while Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf ended with three wickets each. Innings Break! A solid show with the bat from #TeamIndia! 👌 👌 8⃣7⃣ for vice-captain @hardikpandya7 8⃣2⃣ for @ishankishan51 Over to our bowlers now 👍 👍 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/hPVV0wT83S#AsiaCup23 | #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/15SNzWM0k1 — BCCI (@BCCI) September 2, 2023 × India make poor start The Men in Blue did not have the best of starts after rain halted the play initially. However, Shaheen Afridi would then wreak havoc with quickfire wickets of Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4). With India on the back foot, Pakistan further increased the pressure as they got the better of Shreyas Iyer (14) and Shubman Gill (10) reducing India to 66/4 in 14 overs. Haris Rauf got the better of the latter pair as he too joined the part for Pakistan. Ishan, Hardik save India’s day As India were struggling, Ishan and Hardik built a terrific 138-run stand for the fifth wicket as the Men in Blue came out of danger. Both the batters were aggressive with their approach as Ishan scored at a strike rate of 101 while Hardik was also scoring at almost 100. Ishan’s 82-run innings contained two sixes and nine fours while Hardik’s innings included one six and seven fours. ALSO READ | Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority The Mumbai Indians batter justified his selection in the team and also became the fourth wicketkeeper to score a fifty against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, joining MS Dhoni. It was also Ishan’s fourth consecutive fifty in the 50-over format, having scored three during three during the West Indies tour. On the other hand, once Ishan and Hardik were dismissed Pakistan were back in the contest as Afridi added two more wickets to his tally. Haris Rauf also added one more to his tally while Nassem Shah was also excellent in his approach with three wickets. Interestingly, all the 10 wickets for Pakistan were scalped by pacers, highlighting their dominance with the ball. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Ishan, Hardik lead India to respectable total after Shaheen Afridi wreaks havoc with ball

<p>India batsman Shreyas Iyer revealed that he was 'nervous and had a sleepless night' ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 match against arch-rivals Pakistan. Iyer was included in the Asia Cup squad after recovering from a back injury and was included in the playing XI as well.</p>

<p>“I never imagined I’ll be playing in the Asia Cup. The recovery was slow and steady. I passed the fitness test one week before selection, and I was really happy with that,” said Iyer ahead of the match on September 2 in Kandy, Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>“I was nervous last night, I couldn’t sleep. I am super excited to play this match against Pakistan. It’s a phenomenal feeling to be honest as they are the number 1 team at the moment,” Iyer added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-pakistan-pacer-shaheen-afridi-stuns-india-with-wickets-of-rohit-sharma-virat-kohli-watch-631760">Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi stuns India with wickets of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli - WATCH</a></p>

<p>Talking about how's he feeling about being in the Playing XI, Iyer said that he feels privileged to be a part of this team.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We are privileged to be a part of this team and journey with Rahul sir (Dravid) as the coach and under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. The spirits are high in the dressing room and we are looking forward to this game. Delighted to be playing against these (Afridi, Rauf, Naseem) bowlers, plan is just to watch the ball and play according to the situation,” he added.</p>

<p>The batsman, who was on the crease earlier than he expected, could just score only 14 runs and was the third wicket to fall. He came to bat after India lost two quick wickets inside seven overs after winning the toss. The first wicket for India to fall was Rohit who was clean bowled through his defence by Shaheen Afridi. The India skipper scored only 11 off 22 balls before going back.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his next over, Afridi took out India's star batsman Virat Kohli who tried to play the ball towards third man for a single but the ball took an inside edge and hit the stumps. Haris Rauf then took over the reins and took the wickets of Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill to leave India four down for 66 in 15th over.</p>

<p>Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya then led India's recovery, adding 100-plus runs for the fifth wicket and taking India's score past 200.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


India batsman Shreyas Iyer revealed that he was 'nervous and had a sleepless night' ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 match against arch-rivals Pakistan. Iyer was included in the Asia Cup squad after recovering from a back injury and was included in the playing XI as well.

India batsman Shreyas Iyer revealed that he was 'nervous and had a sleepless night' ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 match against arch-rivals Pakistan. Iyer was included in the Asia Cup squad after recovering from a back injury and was included in the playing XI as well. “I never imagined I’ll be playing in the Asia Cup. The recovery was slow and steady. I passed the fitness test one week before selection, and I was really happy with that,” said Iyer ahead of the match on September 2 in Kandy, Sri Lanka. “I was nervous last night, I couldn’t sleep. I am super excited to play this match against Pakistan. It’s a phenomenal feeling to be honest as they are the number 1 team at the moment,” Iyer added. Also Read: Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi stuns India with wickets of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli - WATCH Talking about how's he feeling about being in the Playing XI, Iyer said that he feels privileged to be a part of this team. “We are privileged to be a part of this team and journey with Rahul sir (Dravid) as the coach and under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. The spirits are high in the dressing room and we are looking forward to this game. Delighted to be playing against these (Afridi, Rauf, Naseem) bowlers, plan is just to watch the ball and play according to the situation,” he added. The batsman, who was on the crease earlier than he expected, could just score only 14 runs and was the third wicket to fall. He came to bat after India lost two quick wickets inside seven overs after winning the toss. The first wicket for India to fall was Rohit who was clean bowled through his defence by Shaheen Afridi. The India skipper scored only 11 off 22 balls before going back. In his next over, Afridi took out India's star batsman Virat Kohli who tried to play the ball towards third man for a single but the ball took an inside edge and hit the stumps. Haris Rauf then took over the reins and took the wickets of Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill to leave India four down for 66 in 15th over. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya then led India's recovery, adding 100-plus runs for the fifth wicket and taking India's score past 200. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup: Shreyas Iyer reveals he had 'sleepless night' ahead of India vs Pakistan match

<p>Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned the Indian team’s selection in the Asia Cup clash against Pakistan at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. India who opted to choose Shradul Thakur over Mohammed Shami for the clash started on a poor note as they lost star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma early in the innings. According to Manjrekar, India may have missed out on a trick by not playing Mohammed Shami as they lacked confidence in their current batting line-up.</p>

<h2><strong>Manjrekar questions selection</strong></h2>

<p>"Hearing murmurs that India wanted batting depth. But nobody is talking about bowling depth. Shardul Thakur is in and I am slightly against this thought. Is Mohammed Shami more a threat to Pakistan batters or Shardul Thakur?</p>

<p>"I wouldn't worry about batting depth. Somebody like a Shami on this pitch, especially when we have seen the ball moving around India should have gone in with 3 genuine bowlers - Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj, just like Pakistan have done," Manjrekar told Star Sports.</p>

<p>India opted to choose Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav as natural bowling options while Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur came in as bowling all-rounder options in the team. India also opted to bring in Shreyas Iyer in the team having missed the last few months due to injury. India also opted to go for Ishan Kishan as a natural wicketkeeper option with KL Rahul not available for the group stage. This prompted India to drop Suryakumar Yadav in the Playing XI.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/javelin-champion-neeraj-chopra-eyes-gold-in-diamond-league-and-asian-games-but-staying-fit-remains-priority-631594">Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority</a></p>

<h2><strong>India make poor start</strong></h2>

<p>At the time of writing, India were 111/4 with Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya in the middle. The Men in Blue lost Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4) early while Shreyas Iyer scored 14 on his return to the Indian team. Shubman Gill stayed in the middle for India but ultimately was dismissed for 10. For Pakistan Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf both scalped two wickets each to give the Men in Green a good start.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned the Indian team’s selection in the Asia Cup clash against Pakistan at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned the Indian team’s selection in the Asia Cup clash against Pakistan at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. India who opted to choose Shradul Thakur over Mohammed Shami for the clash started on a poor note as they lost star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma early in the innings. According to Manjrekar, India may have missed out on a trick by not playing Mohammed Shami as they lacked confidence in their current batting line-up. Manjrekar questions selection "Hearing murmurs that India wanted batting depth. But nobody is talking about bowling depth. Shardul Thakur is in and I am slightly against this thought. Is Mohammed Shami more a threat to Pakistan batters or Shardul Thakur? "I wouldn't worry about batting depth. Somebody like a Shami on this pitch, especially when we have seen the ball moving around India should have gone in with 3 genuine bowlers - Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj, just like Pakistan have done," Manjrekar told Star Sports. India opted to choose Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav as natural bowling options while Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur came in as bowling all-rounder options in the team. India also opted to bring in Shreyas Iyer in the team having missed the last few months due to injury. India also opted to go for Ishan Kishan as a natural wicketkeeper option with KL Rahul not available for the group stage. This prompted India to drop Suryakumar Yadav in the Playing XI. ALSO READ | Neeraj Chopra eyes gold in Diamond League final and Asian Games but staying fit remains priority India make poor start At the time of writing, India were 111/4 with Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya in the middle. The Men in Blue lost Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4) early while Shreyas Iyer scored 14 on his return to the Indian team. Shubman Gill stayed in the middle for India but ultimately was dismissed for 10. For Pakistan Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf both scalped two wickets each to give the Men in Green a good start. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Former cricketer questions India's Playing XI vs Pak, says 'this shows signs of insecurity'

<p>The weather gods for the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 clash are not kind as the match was interrupted by showers in the first 30 minutes. While Rohit Sharma’s India are playing their first Asia Cup match, Pakistan can secure Super Four qualification with a win. However, those calculations could take a severe toll if the match gets washed out at Pallekele on Saturday, September 2. So what will happen if the match gets washed out?</p>

<h2><strong>Rain gods play spoilsport</strong></h2>

<p>Rain was always on the radar as there were 80 percent chances of showers on Saturday with both teams looking to clinch a win in the high-voltage clash. Rain briefly interrupted the clash on Saturday when India were 15/0 after four overs. The Indian team started well with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill before losing their path as the former was dismissed by Shaheen Shah Afridi while Virat Kohli also followed soon.</p>

<h2>What will happen in case of washout?</h2>

<p>If rain washes out the India vs Pakistan clash, both teams will be awarded one point each which will see Babar’s men clinch a place in the Super Four. In this case, India will need to avoid a defeat in the Nepal clash on Monday to clinch a Super Four spot. However, in case of a miracle if Nepal win the group stage meeting against India they will qualify for the Super Four.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-shreyas-iyer-returns-to-playing-xi-ishan-kishan-shardul-thakur-get-nod-vs-pakistan-631711">Asia Cup 2023: Shreyas Iyer returns to Playing XI; Ishan Kishan, Shardul Thakur get nod vs Pakistan</a></p>

<h2><strong>India win toss</strong></h2>

<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the challenging conditions of Pallekele. The Asia Cup contest between the arch-rivals is the 14th meeting between them with India leading the head-to-head 7-5. India won the group stage clash between the sides in the 2022 Asia Cup that was played in the T20I format while they lost in the Super Four stage.</p>

<p>Pakistan made no changes to the winning combination from the Nepal game. Babar Azam’s side will guarantee passage into the Super Four with a win while India will look to make a positive start to their Asia Cup campaign. Pakistan earlier beat Nepal by 238 runs to start their Asia Cup campaign.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The weather gods for the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 clash are not kind as the match was interrupted by showers in the first 30 minutes. While Rohit Sharma’s India are playing their first Asia Cup match, Pakistan can secure Super Four qualification with a win.

The weather gods for the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 clash are not kind as the match was interrupted by showers in the first 30 minutes. While Rohit Sharma’s India are playing their first Asia Cup match, Pakistan can secure Super Four qualification with a win. However, those calculations could take a severe toll if the match gets washed out at Pallekele on Saturday, September 2. So what will happen if the match gets washed out? Rain gods play spoilsport Rain was always on the radar as there were 80 percent chances of showers on Saturday with both teams looking to clinch a win in the high-voltage clash. Rain briefly interrupted the clash on Saturday when India were 15/0 after four overs. The Indian team started well with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill before losing their path as the former was dismissed by Shaheen Shah Afridi while Virat Kohli also followed soon. What will happen in case of washout? If rain washes out the India vs Pakistan clash, both teams will be awarded one point each which will see Babar’s men clinch a place in the Super Four. In this case, India will need to avoid a defeat in the Nepal clash on Monday to clinch a Super Four spot. However, in case of a miracle if Nepal win the group stage meeting against India they will qualify for the Super Four. Asia Cup 2023: Shreyas Iyer returns to Playing XI; Ishan Kishan, Shardul Thakur get nod vs Pakistan India win toss India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the challenging conditions of Pallekele. The Asia Cup contest between the arch-rivals is the 14th meeting between them with India leading the head-to-head 7-5. India won the group stage clash between the sides in the 2022 Asia Cup that was played in the T20I format while they lost in the Super Four stage. Pakistan made no changes to the winning combination from the Nepal game. Babar Azam’s side will guarantee passage into the Super Four with a win while India will look to make a positive start to their Asia Cup campaign. Pakistan earlier beat Nepal by 238 runs to start their Asia Cup campaign. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: What happens if India vs Pakistan clash gets washed out? | Know More

<p>India and Pakistan are gearing up for the marquee clash in Asia Cup 2023, and former South Africa Captain AB de Villiers feels for the Men in Blue to stay on top, they must keep Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam&nbsp;quiet during the game. The ranked number one batter in ODIs, Babar hit 151 against Nepal in the previous match and looks in superb touch.</p>

<p>Hailing Pakistan’s modern-day great, de Villiers called Babar one of the best players to grace the game, adding he is a rock in Pakistan’s batting line-up. The Proteas veteran said that given the form Babar is in, if India manages to keep him at bay, they would increase their chances of walking out as winners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I love talking about Babar Azam because he is one of the best players we have ever seen play this game, and not just now. He is a huge rock in the Pakistan batting order. If India wants to keep Pakistan quiet, this is the guy to dismiss early because he keeps the batting line-up together and acts as the glue in the Pakistan middle-order,” de Villiers said, as quoted by the Indian Express.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-we-dont-feel-pressure-of-this-game-pakistan-captain-babar-azam-ahead-of-crucial-india-tie-631667">Asia Cup 2023 -&nbsp;We don’t feel pressure of this game: Pakistan captain Babar Azam ahead of crucial India tie</a></strong></p>

<p>Tipped by many to end up as the top-scorer not only in this six-team tournament but also during the upcoming World Cup 2023, de Villiers recalled the time when he first met Babar, adding he instantly knew the right-handed batter would do wonders in world cricket.</p>

<p>“I met him first when he [Babar] was very young but quickly realized that this guy is here to stay. He has hurt bowling attacks all around the world and in all formats. He is a fantastic player, and Pakistan need him in form for the Asia Cup and most importantly, for the World Cup,” the South African veteran added.</p>

<h2>Babar’s rise put Pakistan on top</h2>

<p>Being the captain of the top-ranked ODI side in the world, Babar completed his 19th One-Day against Nepal and became the quickest to do so. While he hasn’t played too many ODIs against India, given how less both countries play (only during ICC-related events and in the Asia Cup), Babar remains the threat for the seam-heavy Indian bowling attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, India and Pakistan will face off in an ODI for the first time in four years. India leads the head-to-head race against Pakistan (4-1) in the past five outings in this format.</p>

<p>The match is to take place in Pallekele, Kandy.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


India and Pakistan are gearing up for the marquee clash in Asia Cup 2023, and former South Africa Captain AB de Villiers feels for the Men in Blue to stay on top, they must keep Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam quiet during the game.

India and Pakistan are gearing up for the marquee clash in Asia Cup 2023, and former South Africa Captain AB de Villiers feels for the Men in Blue to stay on top, they must keep Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam quiet during the game. The ranked number one batter in ODIs, Babar hit 151 against Nepal in the previous match and looks in superb touch. Hailing Pakistan’s modern-day great, de Villiers called Babar one of the best players to grace the game, adding he is a rock in Pakistan’s batting line-up. The Proteas veteran said that given the form Babar is in, if India manages to keep him at bay, they would increase their chances of walking out as winners. “I love talking about Babar Azam because he is one of the best players we have ever seen play this game, and not just now. He is a huge rock in the Pakistan batting order. If India wants to keep Pakistan quiet, this is the guy to dismiss early because he keeps the batting line-up together and acts as the glue in the Pakistan middle-order,” de Villiers said, as quoted by the Indian Express. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023 - We don’t feel pressure of this game: Pakistan captain Babar Azam ahead of crucial India tie Tipped by many to end up as the top-scorer not only in this six-team tournament but also during the upcoming World Cup 2023, de Villiers recalled the time when he first met Babar, adding he instantly knew the right-handed batter would do wonders in world cricket. “I met him first when he [Babar] was very young but quickly realized that this guy is here to stay. He has hurt bowling attacks all around the world and in all formats. He is a fantastic player, and Pakistan need him in form for the Asia Cup and most importantly, for the World Cup,” the South African veteran added. Babar’s rise put Pakistan on top Being the captain of the top-ranked ODI side in the world, Babar completed his 19th One-Day against Nepal and became the quickest to do so. While he hasn’t played too many ODIs against India, given how less both countries play (only during ICC-related events and in the Asia Cup), Babar remains the threat for the seam-heavy Indian bowling attack. Meanwhile, India and Pakistan will face off in an ODI for the first time in four years. India leads the head-to-head race against Pakistan (4-1) in the past five outings in this format. The match is to take place in Pallekele, Kandy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Babar Azam is one of best ever, India must keep him quiet: Ab de Villiers ahead of marquee clash in Asia Cup

<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma has made clear&nbsp;his intentions for the upcoming Asia Cup opener against Pakistan on Saturday, September 2. Rohit has underlined that India are not in for any fitness test for the upcoming ODI World Cup and intend to face Pakistan in a tough contest. The arch-rivals will meet on Saturday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele as India open their campaign in the Asia Cup.</p>

<h2><strong>Not a fitness test</strong></h2>

<p>"By no means, this is a fitness test or any other thing. This is a tournament played between the top 6 Asian teams. It's a very big tournament for all of us, without a doubt. In the past, it has had so much history. So yeah, the fitness test and the fitness camp and all that was done in Bengaluru. Now, we have to move ahead and get out the game face on and see what we can achieve in this tournament," Rohit said in Pallekele&nbsp;on Friday during the pre-match press conference.</p>

<p>Both India and Pakistan will meet in their 14th Asia Cup contest on Saturday with the Men in Blue leading the head-to-head 7-5. India won the group stage meeting at the Asia Cup 2022 when it was played in the T20I format while they lost in the Super Four stage to the same opponent. The Indian team is having a string of injuries despite naming a strong squad for the Asia Cup.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/transfer-deadline-day-live-football-transfer-window-premier-league-bundesliga-manchester-city-chelsea-631180">Transfer Deadline Day Live: Chelsea complete Cole Palmer deal, João Palhinha to Bayern, Højbjerg to Fulham</a></p>

<p>Rohit’s men will be without KL Rahul for the group stage as he continues his recovery from injury while Shreyas Iyer is yet to have a taste of international cricket since March. India are all set to employ Ishan Kishan as the wicketkeeper while his opening position remains unknown. It is thought Ishan will play at No.5 with Rohit and Shubman Gill set to open.</p>

<p>In the opposition camp, Pakistan have started the Asia Cup 2023 on a positive note after registering a 238-run win against Nepal in the curtain-raiser clash on Wednesday, August 30. A win for Babar Azam’s men will see them qualify for the Super Four while leaving India and Nepal to tussle for the second spot when they meet on Monday.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


India skipper Rohit Sharma has made clear his intentions for the upcoming Asia Cup opener against Pakistan on Saturday, September 2. Rohit has underlined that India are not in for any fitness test for the upcoming ODI World Cup and intend to face Pakistan in a tough contest.

India skipper Rohit Sharma has made clear his intentions for the upcoming Asia Cup opener against Pakistan on Saturday, September 2. Rohit has underlined that India are not in for any fitness test for the upcoming ODI World Cup and intend to face Pakistan in a tough contest. The arch-rivals will meet on Saturday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele as India open their campaign in the Asia Cup. Not a fitness test "By no means, this is a fitness test or any other thing. This is a tournament played between the top 6 Asian teams. It's a very big tournament for all of us, without a doubt. In the past, it has had so much history. So yeah, the fitness test and the fitness camp and all that was done in Bengaluru. Now, we have to move ahead and get out the game face on and see what we can achieve in this tournament," Rohit said in Pallekele on Friday during the pre-match press conference. Both India and Pakistan will meet in their 14th Asia Cup contest on Saturday with the Men in Blue leading the head-to-head 7-5. India won the group stage meeting at the Asia Cup 2022 when it was played in the T20I format while they lost in the Super Four stage to the same opponent. The Indian team is having a string of injuries despite naming a strong squad for the Asia Cup. ALSO READ | Transfer Deadline Day Live: Chelsea complete Cole Palmer deal, João Palhinha to Bayern, Højbjerg to Fulham Rohit’s men will be without KL Rahul for the group stage as he continues his recovery from injury while Shreyas Iyer is yet to have a taste of international cricket since March. India are all set to employ Ishan Kishan as the wicketkeeper while his opening position remains unknown. It is thought Ishan will play at No.5 with Rohit and Shubman Gill set to open. In the opposition camp, Pakistan have started the Asia Cup 2023 on a positive note after registering a 238-run win against Nepal in the curtain-raiser clash on Wednesday, August 30. A win for Babar Azam’s men will see them qualify for the Super Four while leaving India and Nepal to tussle for the second spot when they meet on Monday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma clears intention before Ind vs Pak clash, says 'this is not a fitness test'