What happened the last time Pakistan played a match on reserve day?
India and Pakistan began their second meeting of the Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo on September 10, with the threat of rain looming large. While the contest had an on-time start, the heavens eventually opened up midway through the Indian innings, forcing the game to be pushed for resumption on the reserve day (Monday, September 11).
Although Team India has played in their share of reserve days over the years, there was curiosity among fans as to when Pakistan last played on a reserve day. The answer goes as far back as 2004 at Edgbaston when inclement weather forced their clash against Kenya in the Champions Trophy to be played on the reserve day.
Pitted in Group C with India and Kenya as the other two teams, the Men in Green opened their campaign on the reserve day (September 15) after the scheduled match day (September 14) was washed out.
Winning the toss and fielding first, Pakistan looked to be in trouble when Kenya were settling in at 67/1 in the 22nd over. However, an inspired spell from star all-rounder Shahid Afridi and support from his spin-bowling partner Shoaib Malik led to an incredible freefall of the Kenyan batting lineup.
Afridi finished with figures of 5/11 in six overs, and Malik finished with 3/15 in as many overs to bowl Kenya out for a paltry 94 in 32 overs.
In reply, Pakistan coasted to a comfortable seven-wicket victory, with openers Yasir Hameed and Imran Farhat adding 70 for the first wicket. Afridi was adjudged the Player of the Match for his game-changing spell.
The dominant win was followed by the side edging their arch-rivals India in the next game to qualify for the semi-final. Unfortunately, their campaign ended with a semi-final defeat against an inspired West Indian side, who ended up winning the title by defeating hosts England in the summit clash.
Team India are in a commanding position against Pakistan heading into the Reserve Day
Despite only 24.1 overs being bowled on the match day between India and Pakistan, the Men in Blue treated their fans to incredible fireworks with the bat. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill made their intentions clear, with half-centuries faster than a run-a-ball.
While the youngster Gill got going immediately by pouncing on looseners from Shaheen Afridi for several glorious boundaries inside the first five overs, the Indian skipper bided his time before launching into his innings. Rohit waited for the leg-spinner Shadab Khan to launch his brutal counter-attack, smashing him for three sixes and two fours in a five-ball stretch.
The duo added 121 runs off just 100 deliveries for the opening wicket, helping India take control of the marquee clash. It was their fourth century partnership as the opening pair in 11 ODIs and their second consecutive following the unbeaten 147-run stand in India's thumping 10-wicket win against Nepal.
However, the Men in Green showed glimpses of a comeback from the shellacking by picking up both openers in a seven-ball period, with Shadab and Shaheen grabbing the two wickets.
Following the two quick wickets, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul settled the nerves and consolidated the innings with an unbeaten partnership of 24 from 38 deliveries. In his first game back from injury, Rahul also became the fifth-fastest Indian batter to complete 2,000 ODI runs during his knock of 17*.
Although the weather is not too promising for the reserve day, the two sides hope to be third-time lucky, with their Group stage clash also having been washed out.
Should the game still not have a result on the reserve day, both teams will share a point each, leaving India in a must-win situation against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, September 12.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka recorded comfortable wins over Bangladesh in their Super Four openers, while Team India are playing their first game of the Super Fours.