SPORTS

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad came down heavily on the Asian Cricket Council for keeping a reserve day only for the India vs Pakistan Super 4 match while there is a rain threat looming large over all the matches of the tournament to be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The ACC made the announcement on Friday. "If adverse weather suspends play during the Pak vs India game, the match will continue on 11th September 2023 from the point it was suspended," a statement said.

The arch-rivals are scheduled to play in Colombo on Sunday but thundery showers are forecast for the Sri Lankan capital over the weekend. As soon as the news became public, it was meted with harsh criticism on social media. Prasad launched a no-holds-barred attack on the organisers, calling the move "absolutely shameless" "a mockery" and "unethical".

It's back. An India vs Pakistan cricket clash is round the corner again, a week after the first game of the Asia Cup 2023 between the two sides was washed out due to rain after just one innings. The rain threat remains for this Super 4 clash as well but the hype has not been dampened yet because of the weather conditions in Colombo. This match will be played at R Premadasa stadium. The Asian Cricket Council reportedly wanted to shift the Super 4 matches to Hambantota in Sri Lanka, looking at the weather but the decision was not taken after discussing with teams. 

As far as Pakistan are concerned, their playing XI is going to remain the same. If the conditions are suitable for swing bowling, we might see Faheem Ashraf replace Mohammad Nawaz in the team. Otherwise, the same team which was fielded against India on September 2 should be on the field again. 

Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan issued an eye-catching response after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India's squad for the upcoming edition of the ICC World Cup on Tuesday. Two-time champions India will host the One Day International (ODI) World Cup for the first time since MS Dhoni and Co. lifted the famous trophy at home back in 2011. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India will aim to end its trophyless run in ICC events.

Deemed surplus to requirements in the World Cup year, Dhawan was earlier considered an integral part of India's leadership group. Following the arrival of young openers Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan on the international scene, Dhawan took a backseat and his mediocre run in ODIs eventually triggered his ouster from the national squad. Averaging only 34.40, Dhawan had a strike rate of 74.21 last year.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf on Monday contacted the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah. Ashraf suggested Shah to shift the Asia Cup 2023 matches to Pakistan given heavy rains in Sri Lanka.  

Sri Lanka’s largest city, Colombo, where the matches are being held till September 17, is highly likely to record heavy rains during the period. The high-octane India vs Pakistan match in Kandy was washed out after the first innings last week. India scored 266 runs in the first innings, after which the match was called off.  

Jasprit Bumrah, it seems, not just worked on his recovery from injury but put in the hard yards with his batting during his 11-month time away from competitive action. In India's Asia Cup 2023 opener against Pakistan in Pallekele, Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with the bat, hitting a handy 16 as India posted 266 in 48.5 overs against Pakistan. 

Jasjrpti Bumrah's 16 is his career-best score with the bat as he played a handy knock, helping India go past 250 after they lost a flurry of wickets in the death overs. 

Bumrah hit 3 boundaries for his 14-ball 16 before he got out to Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah in the 49th over of the Indian innings. It was the first time in an Asia Cup match that all 10 wickets fell to pacers as the trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem troubled India with their pace and movement on a rain-affected Saturday in Kandy.