Gaddafi Stadium weather forecast today: What are the chances of rain during the Pakistan vs Bangladesh match?
The first Super Fours match of the Asia Cup 2023 will see Pakistan lock horns with Bangladesh at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.
The Men in Green finished at the top of the Group A points table to make it to the next phase of the continental tournament. They defeated Nepal comprehensively before their game against India was washed out due to rain. Pakistan ended with three points and a net run rate of +4.760.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, had a horrific start to their Asia Cup campaign, losing to Sri Lanka by five wickets. However, they bounced back in style in their final group game against Afghanistan to make it to the Super Fours. They finished second in Group B with two points and a net run rate of +0.373.
With the tournament closely approaching its business end, both teams will want to start the Super Fours with a win. The players and fans alike will hope for a full game with no rain interruptions.
According to Accuweather, there is no rain in the forecast for Wednesday, meaning a full 100-over game is on the cards. The temperature, meanwhile, will be a bit on the higher side, ranging between 30 and 37 degrees Celsius. The actual feeling might be three to four degrees higher than the original temperature due to excessive humidity.
All in all, a good game of cricket beckons fans in Lahore under favorable weather conditions.
Bangladesh batter Najmul Hossain Shanto ruled out Asia Cup 2023
Bangladesh's highest run-getter in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 Najmul Hossain Shanto has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.
The left-handed batter suffered a hamstring injury while batting against Afghanistan. Scans revealed that he has a muscle tear and has been advised to rest by the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) medical team, keeping in mind the ICC ODI World Cup, scheduled to start next month.
"The player had complained of hamstring pain during batting and could not field. We had an MRI scan done confirming a muscle tear," physio Bayjedul Islam Khan told reporters.
"As a precaution, Shanto will not take any further part in the tournament and will be returning home to start rehab and prepare for the World Cup," he added.
While Bangladesh haven't named any replacement, Litton Das' availability will be a massive boost to the team ahead of their Super Fours campaign.