Watch: ‘Rain saved Pakistan’, says Shoaib Akhtar

In a turn of events where both teams could claim divine intervention, the 2023 Asia Cup Super Four match between India and Pakistan was left at the mercy of the weather gods. Initially dominated by Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, the much-awaited cricket battle was halted due to persistent rain and would resume from where it left off the next day on September 11.

The rush, which proved to be something of a draw, had the last word in a game in which India’s opening duo tested Pakistan’s bowling attack. Both reached half-centuries, with Sharma scoring 56 runs and Gill contributing 58. They hammered the Pakistani bowlers, lifting the Indian team to a dominant position before rains interrupted play.

Former Pakistani sprinter Shoaib Akhtar, who was present, was caught on video commenting on the rain. In the clip that later spread like wildfire on social media, he said, “Hi guys, it’s me, Shoaib. I came to watch the match, we were all waiting, Indian and Pakistani fans. The rain saved us. India was in trouble the other day. Rain saved India. Today we were in trouble and thanks to Allah, the rain saved us.”

In what seemed like a sarcastic comment, the Rawalpindi Express suggested that the rain was a blessing for Pakistan, especially given the strong opening performance by Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.

Pakistan finally got a reprieve when their bowler Shadab Khan managed to dismiss Sharma, followed soon after by Shaheen Afridi who sent Gill back to the pavilion. However, before any significant momentum could be built, a heavy downpour forced the field to be covered and ultimately caused the match to be abandoned.

Although the ground crew made efforts to prepare the field, their attempts were in vain. Multiple field inspections by referees did not yield positive results, forcing the referees to postpone the match.

The high voltage shock will resume from the same point today, September 11, weather permitting. Both teams will eagerly look for an opportunity to finish what they started, as they compete for the prestigious Asia Cup title.