In a surprising and unusual decision that’s sure to grab a lot of attention and potentially create more confusion in the Asia Cup, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has made a special arrangement.
They’ve set aside an extra day just in case the Pakistan vs. india Super 4’s stage match, scheduled for Sunday in Colombo, faces any delays or interruptions.
The Latest News understands that the Indian team was communicated about the reserve day officially by the ACC a couple of days ago and this will be only in place for this game. In case the match on Sunday cannot be completed, it will continue on Monday.
After last weekend’s group stage match between India and Pakistan was rained out, there were talks about moving the tournament from Colombo to Hambantota. However, the ACC decided to stick with the original schedule. With heavy rain expected for the upcoming weekend matches, like Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh on Saturday and India vs. Pakistan on Sunday, the organizers have decided to include a reserve day only for the India vs. Pakistan match. This is a high-profile game that generates significant revenue for broadcasters.
“A reserve day has been incorporated for the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4’s match between India and Pakistan scheduled to take place on 10th September at Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. If adverse weather suspends play during the Pakistan vs India game, the match will continue on 11th September from the point it was suspended,” the ACC said in a statement.
Pakistan and India might have an upper hand in reaching the tournament final compared to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh due to the expected rainy weather. The Super 4 stage begins in Colombo this Saturday, with Sri Lanka facing Bangladesh. If rain washes out the game, both teams will share points because there is no reserve day.
Even though the India vs. Pakistan match has a reserve day on Monday, it’s not ideal for Rohit Sharma’s team. They are scheduled to play Sri Lanka on Tuesday, and if their match against Pakistan goes into the reserve day, they will have very little time before the next game. The weather forecast predicts heavy showers and thunderstorms for Sunday evening.
Following a two-day break, India will face Bangladesh in the Super 4 fixture on Friday. The unusual scheduling, with back-to-back matches on the weekend and Thursday and Friday, means that the advantage of a reserve day is not given to the other teams, making it an uneven playing field.
