India vs Pakistan Highlights: Rain forces India-Pakistan match into reserve day

Intermittent rain played spoilsport in the high-stakes Asia Cup clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. As the heavens opened up, India found themselves at 147 for two in 24.1 overs, bringing an abrupt halt to the much-anticipated encounter. To accommodate the weather disruption, organisers have activated a reserve day, with play set to resume at 3 pm local time on Monday. This impromptu shift in the schedule has created a tight turnaround for India, as they are now set to face Sri Lanka in their next Super Four encounter on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after their contest against Pakistan.

See you tomorrow!

The match will resume at 3 PM IST on Monday, with Virat Kohli (8*) and KL Rahul (17*) coming out to bat for India, who are at 147/2 in 24.1 overs.

UPDATE: Reserve Day activated. The India vs Pakistan game is moved to the reserve day in Colombo due to rain. It will be a 50-overs/side game, and India will start from where they are - that's 147/2 in 24.1 overs.

UPDATE: The drizzle has now changed to a heavy rain. So it looks like another long wait in store.

UPDATE: If no further play is possible today, it will be a 50-overs/side contest tomorrow.

Oh No! Covers are coming back. It has started drizzling in Colombo. It looks like a passing shower, but has the capacity to ruin all the hard work done by the ground staff in the last three hours or so.

UPDATE: Umpires are back again for their third inspection of the wet patches on the ground.

Umpires are hopeful of a 9 PM start. Then it will be a 34-overs-a-side contest.

UPDATE: We will now have another inspection at 8:30 PM IST

UPDATE: The umpires are back on the ground for their second inspection

UPDATE: News is that we will have another inspection in 10 minutes time, i.e. at 8 PM IST.

UPDATE: After inspecting the ground, the umpires are explaining things to India skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid. Umpires are now explaining the same to Pakistan captain Babar Azam and coach.

UPDATE: Umpires are inspecting the ground as we speak. We will have official words soon.

UPDATE: The ground staff are putting sawdust on the damp patch on the outfield.

During rain break...

Babar Azam and Wasim Akram (R) during the Asia Cup Super Four match between India and Pakistan at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. (Getty Images)

Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj are also inspecting the wet patches on the ground.

UPDATE: Umpires will inspect the ground at 7:30 PM IST

Babar Azam also comes down from the dressing room to check the outfield now. Lots of activities in the middle now -- ground staff have peeled off the last piece of covers from the pitch too.

Now, both Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma are inspecting the wet outfield. Pakistan's bowling coach Morne Morkel joins the duo in the middle.

India captain Rohit Sharma is having an animated chat with the umpires near the dressing room. After the chat with the umpires, Rohit is explaining the details to Virat Kohli, who was waiting at the dressing room door.

* Reminder -- a 20-over run chase can start as late as 10.36 pm IST. So, we have a lot of time for a restart if the rain permits.

UPDATE: Due to heavy rain, it is taking a lot of time to peel off the covers. There are wet patches on the ground too, which need special attention. Umpires will inspect the ground after all the covers are off. At the moment, the covers on the pitch are still intact.

UPDATE: We have started losing overs now, and the first priority is to finish the game today itself.

In a heartwarming gesture, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman was seen providing a helping hand to the groundsmen at the R Premadasa Stadium after rain stopped play in Colombo. Zaman was seen pulling the covers on the field alongside the ground staff after a heavy downpour halted the marquee India-Pakistan game. While the other India and Pakistan players along with the umpires were moving off the field, Zaman, before leaving, did his part to protect the ground.

UPDATE: We will start losing overs from 6:22 pm IST, so in all likelihood we will have a shortened game if it were to finish today. Otherwise, we have a reserve day.

UPDATE: Some good news coming in. The rain has stopped and ground staff are removing the covers as we speak.

Virat Kohli, left, and KL Rahul run for cover as it rains during the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan in Colombo

(AP Photo)

UPDATE: It's still raining in Colombo, and the covers are on the ground. The wait continues...

A spell of heavy rain stopped play in the marquee Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday. India reached 147 for two in 24.1 overs when rain hit the Premadasa Stadium. Virat Kohli (8*) and KL Rahul (17*) were in the middle for India after openers Rohit Sharma (56) and Shubman Gill (58) struck dazzling half-centuries. India's Asia Cup opener against Pakistan was called off due to rain.

NOTE: If no further action happens today, the game will resume from this position tomorrow [reserve day] with no overs lost. If a 20-over chase is conceivable today, the umpires will very certainly try to complete a shortened game rather than activating the reserve day.

It doesn't look like a passing shower. It's pouring heavily in Colombo at the moment.

Oh No! Rain has arrived and so does the covers. | India 147/2 in 24.1 overs

KL Rahul (17* off 28) and Virat Kohli (8* off 16) put on 24 runs for the third wicket to steady the India innings after two quick blows. India lost both openers Rohit Sharma (56) and Shubman Gill (58) in quick succession after a solid 121 runs opening stand.

FOUR! KL Rahul (17*) brings up his 2000 ODI runs with a four off Haris Rauf | India 145/2 in 23.3 overs

IND vs PAK: India 140/2 after 23 overs

0 0 0 0 0 0 - A maiden over from Shadab Khan, bowled six dot balls to KL Rahul (13* off 24). There was a big shout for caught behind too in it, and Babar Azam decided not to take the review despite Mohammad Rizwan's plea. And it was the right decision.

IND vs PAK: India 140/2 after 22 overs

Brilliant fast-paced over from Haris Rauf. The speedster troubled Virat Kohli a couple of times in it and gave away just three runs in it.

IND vs PAK: India 135/2 after 20 overs

KL Rahul, who is making a comeback after an injury layoff, hit a four towards mid-wicket to score four runs off Shaheen Afridi in it. Despite the two quick wickets India are in a good position with Virat Kohli and Rahul looking steady in the middle.

IND vs PAK: India 124/2 after 18 overs

MASSIVE BREAKTHROUGH! Shaheen Afridi came back into the attack and gave Pakistan a massive breakthrough by removing a set Shubman Gill (58 off 52) with a slower delivery. Gill went his shot a bit early and gave away a simple catch to Agha Salman at cover. India lost both the openers in consecutive overs. Gill hit 10 fours in his innings before the soft dismissal. Pakistan are back in the contest.

OUT! Shaheen Afridi gets rid of Shubman Gill (58) | India 123/2 in 17.5 overs

IND vs PAK: India 122/1 after 17 overs

0 2 1 W 0 1 - What a turnaround for spinner Shadab Khan, who leaked 31 runs in his first two overs. Rohit Sharma (56 off 49) tried to attack the spinner again, but this time Faheem Ashraf took a running catch at left side of the long-off. It was a brilliant catch by Faheem, and Pakistan broke the dangerous opening partnership. Rohit hit four sixes and six fours during his knock.

OUT! Big Wicket. Shadab Khan strikes to dismiss Rohit Sharma (56) | India 121/1 in 16.4 overs

IND vs PAK: India 118/0 after 16 overs

Drinks on the ground. Haris Rauf put a break to the boundary flow with a tidy one, just three singles off it. India openers are scoring freely at the moment and they are marching towards a big total today for sure.

IND vs PAK: India 115/0 after 15 overs

12 RUNS! 6 4 0 1 1 0 - Rohit Sharma (55* off 46) again targeted spinner Shadab Khan and started the over with a big six and a four off the first two deliveries. Rohit also brought up his 50th ODI fifty in it. India are looking for a big total today after such a solid start.

SIX & FIFTY! Rohit Sharma (50*) brings up his fifty off 42 balls with a big six off Shadab Khan | India 109/0 in 14.1 overs

100 comes up for India in 13.2 overs -- 103/0 (Shubman Gill 52* & Rohit Sharma 44*)

IND vs PAK: India 96/0 after 13 overs

19 RUNS! 1 1 1 6 6 4 - India skipper Rohit Sharma (44* off 41) broke his shackles in this over as he smoked spinner Shadab Khan, who came into the attack, for successive sixes and a four in three deliveries. India openers are now toying with the Pakistan bowlers.

BOOM! 6,6 - Rohit Sharma (40*) smokes Shadab Khan for back-to-back sixes | India 92/0 in 12.5 overs