India v Pakistan: More rain forecast for Asia Cup Super 4 clash in Colombo

Group-stage showdown between South Asian rivals was also washed out

India's Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya, left, starred in a century stand against Pakistan in their Asia Cup clash in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2, 2023. AP

Hardik Pandya top-scored for India with 87 in Pallekele. AP

India's Ishan Kishan scored a quickfire 82 against Pakistan. AP

Ishan Kishan of India celebrates after reaching fifty. AP

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi celebrates the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja. Getty

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates the wicket of India captain Rohit Sharma. AP

Pakistan's Haris Rauf after taking the wicket of India's Ishan Kishan. AFP

Pakistan's Naseem Shah bowled brilliantly for his three wickets. AFP

Fans were left disappointed as Saturday's match was washed out. AFP

Fans hoping to see a full match between arch rivals India and Pakistan could be in for more disappointment with the weather forecast predicting more rain during Sunday's Asia Cup match.

Both teams made it to the Super 4 stage of the tournament, the main leg of which will be held in Sri Lanka due to India's reluctance to play in Pakistan – the original hosts of the tournament.

After the highly anticipated group game between India and Pakistan was washed out in Kandy over the weekend, organisers were forced to regroup and look at other venue options in the country that were relatively dry.

According to reports, Hambantota in the southern part of Sri Lank was seen as an option as the weather there is more conducive for a 50-over match. However, Colombo, in the western part of the country, has retained its hosting rights for now, despite rain being predicted for most of the next 10 days.

Will it rain in Colombo during India v Pakistan match?

If the Super 4 match between the neighbours takes place at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo – there still could be a last-minute change – then we could be in for more rain interruptions. According to the UK's Met Office, there is a 70 per cent chance of rain throughout the day. However, according to the BBC there is lesser chance of rain on match day. Also, the weather has eased in Colombo over the last few days, having witnessed flooding earlier.

India's match against Pakistan at Pallekele was set up perfectly after Rohit Sharma's team posted 266, thanks to blazing fifties from Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya. Pakistan fast bowlers, led by Shaheen Afridi, were at the top of their game and took all 10 wickets. However, the second innings never started as persistent rain ruined any chance of even a 20-over contest.

The tournament has been plagued by disjointed fixtures, teams moving back and forth between countries, and uncertainty over venues due to the weather. If the matches go ahead in Colombo and Sunday's game is another washout, the tournament organisers will have to answer some tough questions from member boards, broadcasters and fans.