Gill, Rohit score fifties to give India solid platform against Pakistan
Cricket fans in the subcontinent may have to get creative to find excuses to miss school, college or work today as the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup between India and Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium has gone into the reserve day.
India, after being put into bat were 147 for 2 in 24.1 overs with Virat Kohli (8*) and KL Rahul (17 *) at the crease when a huge storm forced players indoors and massive puddles on the field meant a long time spent in trying to get the ground fit to play. After three inspections, umpires Chris Gaffney and Ruchira Palliyaguruge thought the hard work of the ground staff had made a 34-over contest, starting at 9 pm possible.
However, another heavy shower put paid to those hopes. India will resume from 147 for 2 in 24.1 overs. They are also scheduled to play Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The action that was possible on Sunday, had its moments though. For about 20 minutes, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma would have been tempted to look at alternative career options, like the advert of the gaming company he endorses, shows him doing.
Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah was the reason for that. The gifted young pacer from Khyber had him on a string. Getting good bounce and movement from a length, Naseem tormented Rohit as the opener tried to break free. After getting off to a prompt start, scoring 10 off 10 deliveries, with a delightful flicked six off Shaheen Shah Afridi, the Indian skipper was forced to play out 16 dots in a row.
At the other end, Shubman Gill was middling everything. He carved India's nemesis Afridi for six boundaries, causing Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, who had won the toss and fielded, to take his lead pacer out of the attack after an expensive spell of 3-0-31-0.
Christchurch 2018 was reloading. Gill drove Shaheen on the up, charged down the ground to hit him over his head and played the slap cut, a shot he currently owns.
Intent was the buzzword for Gill. He had decided he wasn't going to allow Shaheen to settle down. Naseem's figures from the other end read 3-1-6-0. It was only in the fifth over that Rohit broke free, driving Naseem aerially over mid-wicket and then pulling him. The contest between Rohit and Naseem deserved a better audience in Colombo. But stands were empty.
The lack of atmosphere though did not deter Rohit from filling his boots against Shadab Khan. The Pakistan leg-spinner, also the vice-captain, dished out three half-trackers, a full toss, and a wide half-volley outside the off-stump to the Indian captain. Three went into the stands at midwicket. Two went to the point boundary. 26 off five balls meant the pressure had been released.
1/10:India vs Pakistan Asia Cup tie spills over to reserve day
AFP
2/10:Rain plays spoilsport, again
<p>Rain bedevilled the Asia Cup's most anticipated clash again on Sunday, halting India's mouth-watering Super 4s clash with arch-rivals Pakistan, which will now be completed on Monday.<br /></p>IANS
3/10:Heavy downpour
<p>Put into bat, India had reached 147/2 in 24.1 overs when heavy rain suspended play. The umpires waited for nearly four hours before deciding the rest of the match would be played on Monday.<br /></p>AFP
4/10:The group-stage game washout
<p>The September 2 group match between the heavyweights in Pallekele had been abandoned because of rain after the Indian innings.<br /></p>Getty Images
5/10:Openers impress
<p>The Indian openers impressed on Sunday after Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to field at the R Premadasa Stadium.<br /></p>IANS
6/10:Early Shaheen threat negated perfectly
<p>Shaheen Afridi had troubled India's top orders in recent encounters but Rohit Sharma and his team appeared to have found an antidote against the left-arm speedster.<br /></p>IANS
7/10:Rohit, Gill show
<p>Shubman Gill, particularly, took the sting out of Pakistan's fiery pace attack when he combined with Rohit in a rollicking 122-run opening stand.<br /></p>Getty Images
8/10:Gill blitz
<p>Gill (58) on two occasions smashed Afridi for three boundaries in an over, eventually throwing the bowler out of the attack after a wicketless and expensive first spell.<br /></p>AFP
9/10:Rohit rises to the occasion
<p>Rohit survived Naseem Shah's hostile opening spell before asserting himself, hitting four sixes in his breezy 56 as boundaries flowed from both ends.<br /></p>Getty Images
10/10:Pakistan grab two
<p>Spinner Shadab Khan broke the partnership when Rohit holed out in the deep and Afridi returned to end Gill's fluent knock to drag Pakistan back into the contest.<br /></p>Getty ImagesAs the pair got to their individual half-centuries and put on their fourth stand of 100-plus in 12 games, former English pacer Dominic Cork, on commentary, said 350 was on the cards. He was underestimating the class of the Pakistani leg-spinner.
Shadab, after going for 31 in two overs, was smartly persisted with by Babar, and the leggie bowled one slower, which Rohit fell for as he tried to play it over extra cover, but while checking his shot, he holed out to long off after a smart running catch by Faheem Ashraf.
Next over, Shaheen got his redemption vs Gill as he bowled a slower one which foxed Gill as he lobbed it to Salman Ali Agha at cover. With two set batters gone, a potential run-storm was averted by Pakistan. But as Kohli and Rahul consolidated, the real storm arrived.
