India-Pakistan Asia Cup blockbuster ends in flop

Sep 2 (Reuters) – The long-awaited Asia Cup clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan was abandoned on Saturday when rain played a decisive role in the heavyweights’ Group A duel in Pallekele.

Pakistan bowled out India for 266 in 48.5 overs to take the lead in the contest, but their chase never started as rain kept the players off the ground before play was eventually abandoned.

Babar Azam’s team, which defeated Nepal in the first match, has reached the Super Four stage after sharing points with India.

World number one Pakistan dominated any cap game possible with Shaheen Afridi leading their fierce attack, which claimed all 10 Indian wickets.

Afridi has plagued India in recent meetings between the two sides and it was no different at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

India captain Rohit Sharma regretted his decision to bat first as his team fell to 66-4 in the 15th.

Rohit hit 11 before Afridi broke through his defense and Virat Kohli went for four after his angled bat deflected the ball off his stump.

Haris Rauf dismissed Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill to pin India to the canvas before Hardik Pandya (87) and Ishan Kishan (82) forged a 138-run partnership to stop India’s slide.

With both ready, India reached the 200 mark in the 37th and a total of over 300 seemed within reach before Rauf (3-58) dismissed Kishan.

Afridi (4-35) again dismissed Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja in the same over, while his new ball partner Naseem Shah (3-36) finished off India’s tail.

The neighbours, who meet only in multi-team events due to bitter political relations, would meet again in the Super Four stage provided India can avoid an upset against Nepal on Monday.

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