Colombo, Sep 10 (UNI) The third Super 4 match between India and Pakistan was called off for the day to resume on the reserve day tomorrow due to rains at R Premadasa Stadium here on Sunday.
It will be a full 50 overs game beginning 3 pm on Monday with India resuming their innings at 147/2 in 24.1 overs.
Nevertheless, the fans got to some action as the Indian openers were off to a flier, taking to cleaners Pakistani pace trio. As Virat Kohli and KL Rahul were finding their feet to extend the total, the heavens opened up as weathermen had forecast.
The rain did stop, and the match was almost at the point of resumption, but the rains returned, prompting umpires – Chris Gaffaney and Ruchira Palliyaguruge – to call off the day’s play.
The weather forecast for tomorrow as well is not promising, though the fans would pray for a complete match.
When the play was called off, KL Rahul, who is making a comeback after a long lay off due to injury, was batting on 17 and Virat Kohli on 8.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first.
India were off to a great start with captain Rohit Sharma beginning with a six off Shaheen Afridi, and boundary in the next over off Naseem Shah. Shubman Gill did not waste time either. He took on the Pakistani pacers and got to his 8th ODI fifty in 37 balls with 10 boundaries.
Gill, however, had his slice of luck twice. In the second over, Shaheen at third man was a bit slow and did not get to the ball that fell in front of him, and in the 8th over Iftikhar Ahmed at first slip did not even react to his flash.
Playing the second fiddle to Gill, Rohit reached to his 27 off 37 balls, but cut loose in the 13th over of spinner Shadab Khan carting two sixes, and a boundary and a single to plunder 17 runs and taking his score to 44 off 41 balls.
Rohit reached his fifty after smoking Shadab’s full toss over deep mid-wicket for a huge six in his 42nd ball.
India were reduced to 123/2 in 17.5 overs from 115/0 in 15 overs, after both the openers got to their fifties. Shadab got rid of Rohit for 56 off 49 balls with 6 boundaries and 4 sixes. He was caught by Faheem Ashraf sprinting to his left from long-off, tumbling over and managing to hang on.
In the very next over, Shaheen had Gill caught by Agha Salman off a slower ball for 58 off 52 balls with 1o boundaries.
