Play was halted due to rain and a dirty ground after India reached 147/2 in 24.1 overs. In light of this, the India-Pakistan Super Four game has been moved to September 11 (Monday). The India-Pakistan Super Four game will then be finished on Monday as a 50-over game. The weather forecast is much worse, as Colombo is predicted to have another start-stop evening.
For the opening two hours of play, Colombo presented a hot and muggy day, which Pakistan decided to bowl in. As he flipped Shaheen Afridi for a six in the opening over, Rohit Sharma once again got off to a horrible start with his lengths, throwing a lot to both batteries on the leg side. To make the India skipper bounce and hop at the crease, Naseem Shah went to extreme lengths and made the ball nip in both directions.In India-Pakistan Super Four game he repeatedly squared Rohit up and beat Rohit’s bat, but he never felt the rush of getting rid of him.
Shubman Shaheen and even Naseem, who bowled a terrific opening spell, were facing Gill, though Naseem’s footwork was undoubtedly more secure. The ball went between Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman at first and second slip after Naseem’s delivery curved away from Gill and he chased it and grabbed it. Neither player tried to complete the catch.
By positioning himself outside of the wicketkeeper’s crease and hammering drives down the wicket, Gill got fifty runs off of Afridi in just 37 balls. To Pakistan’s dismay, Shadab Khan, who had thrown a streak of long hops in the twelfth over, was tormented by Rohit, who had also had a shaky start. Gill’s batting balance gradually shifted as Rohit took over as Gill slowed down. In just 42 balls, Rohit scored 50 runs, including three sixes, against Shadab.
Both batsmen were struggling at a time when it appeared India’s opening duo would cause even more damage. Faheem Ashraf, who was sprinting to his left from a distance and made a point of advancing rapidly, stopped Rohit, who had assumed the role of Shadab’s pursuer. After a 49-ball 56, he exited. Gill eventually trudged off for 58 from 52 balls when he finally gave in to Afridi’s slower ball and chipped it to Salman at cover.
By the time rain forced the players indoors, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul had amassed only 24 runs in 6.2 overs.
Brief Scores
India 147/2 in 24.1 overs (Shubman Gill 58, Rohit Sharma 56; Shaheen Afridi 1-37) vs Pakistan.
