Weather department warns of heavy rains after 4pm in Sri Lankan capital  

COLOMBO: Despite being affected twice, the high-voltage clash of Asia Cup 2023 between Pakistan and India is likely to be hit by rain yet again today (Monday) amid a forecast of heavy rain in Colombo.

There are slim chances that the match will be completed today as it has been continuously drizzling in the Sri Lanka capital since early morning with clouds hovering over the city while the weather department has warned of heavy rains after 4pm.

On Sunday, rain bedevilled the Asia Cup's most anticipated clash again, halting the tournament’s mouth-watering Super Four clash between the arch-rivals, which will now be completed today.

Put into bat, India had reached 147-2 in 24.1 overs when heavy rain suspended play. The umpires waited for nearly four hours before deciding the rest of the match would be played on the reserve day.

The Sept 2 group match between the heavyweights in Pallekele had been abandoned because of rain after the Indian innings.

The Indian openers impressed on Sunday after Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to field at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Shaheen Afridi had troubled India's top orders in recent encounters but Rohit Sharma and his team appeared to have found an antidote against the left-arm speedster.

Shubman Gill, particularly, took the sting out of Pakistan's fiery pace attack when he combined with Rohit in a rollicking 122-run opening stand.

Gill (58) on two occasions smashed Afridi for three boundaries in an over, eventually throwing the bowler out of the attack after a wicketless and expensive first spell.

Rohit survived Naseem Shah's hostile opening spell before asserting himself, hitting four sixes in his breezy 56 as boundaries flowed from both ends.

Spinner Shadab Khan broke the partnership when Rohit holed out in the deep and Afridi returned to end Gill's fluent knock to drag Pakistan back into the contest.

KL Rahul, picked after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out with back spasms, and Virat Kohli, batting on eight, were about to steady India when rain stopped play.

Rahul, who was on 17, looked comfortable in his first match since returning from a thigh injury in May.