Team India face Pakistan in a high-octane Asia Cup Super 4 clash on Sunday in Colombo, but weather forecasts have been far from cheerful as preparations continue for the iconic game. According to the weather prediction, there is a significant possibility of rain, as AccuWeather forecasts an 80 percent chance of precipitation starting from 5 pm, mainly attributed to the anticipated high humidity level of approximately 78 percent. Incidentally, the weather forecast was similar on Saturday as well but in the end, it remained dry, with no threatening rain-clouds in the vicinity of the Premadasa Stadium hindering the second Super 4 game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
As players and fans gear up for round 2 of India vs Pakistan in the 2023 edition, India’s star players Ravichandran Ashwin and Dinesh Karthik – both currently in Sri Lanka but absent from the ODI squad – shared crucial weather update from Colombo. Both posted pictures from Colombo which showed reasonably clear weather with sun shining in the city.
“That’s as pretty a morning as one can get for an #INDvsPAK clash. Lots of tickets still available online for the game. #AsiaCup2023,” Ashwin wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Karthik, meanwhile, also had positive things to say about the Colombo weather. “The weather looks decent for #INDvPAK. Looking forward to a cracker of a game!” wrote the wicketkeeper-batter.
In case rain does suspend play on Sunday, the Asian Cricket Council has allocated a reserve-day for the game on Monday. The decision did face criticism from fans as the India-Pakistan clash was the only game from the Super 4 to have a reserve day. If there’s a washout on Monday as well, both teams will share a point each.
Dilemma on India XI
The Indian team’s dilemma of selecting either KL Rahul or Ishan Kishan will be the center of attention in the highly anticipated Super 4 match against their arch-rivals. While the team aims to achieve its collective objectives, the Indian management seeks to field the strongest possible eleven against Pakistan, marking their second encounter in the tournament.
In the opening game, Ishan played a key role, scoring a counter-attacking 82 after India were left reeling at 66/4, thanks largely to Shaheen Afridi dismissing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli within the first ten overs. This was also Ishan’s fourth-successive fifty in the format, with his last three coming during the bilateral series against West Indies.
