IND vs PAK, Asia Cup weather update: Rain forecast for Reserve Day of India vs Pakistan Super 4 match

Rain certainly has developed a liking for the 16th edition of the Asia Cup. Especially for the matches that involve the Indian cricket team.

The Pakistan leg of Asia Cup 2023, that included three group stage matches and the Pakistan vs Bangladesh Super Four clash, went ahead without a hitch with matches taking place under clear skies.

The Sri Lanka leg of the tournament however, hasn’t gone off as smoothly thanks to erratic weather. Not only did the Group A meeting between India and Pakistan in Pallekele end in a washout, the Men in Blue had to spend a lot of time in the dressing room in their next match, against Nepal at the same venue. India eventually managed to chase a revised target of 145 inside 23 overs to collect their first win of the campaign.

Though the Super Four clash between India and Pakistan at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium began in bright and sunny conditions, dark clouds soon began to gather in the skies above. It did not take long for a heavy shower to make its way to Sri Lanka’s premier cricketing venue and take the RPS groundstaff by surprise, with the latter having a hard time bringing the covers out thanks to the strong winds that accompanied the downpour.

India had earlier got off to a solid start with skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill coming up with a solid response against the red-hot Pakistan attack after getting outplayed in Pallekele. Both Rohit (56) and Gill (58) slammed half-centuries and shared a 121-run opening partnership in sharp contrast to the events at Pallekele last Saturday, where India had been reduced to 66/4 before Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya came to the rescue.

Both leg-spinner Shadab Khan and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi later helped Pakistan claw back by dismissing Rohit and Gill respectively. Virat Kohli (8) and KL Rahul (17) had build a steady third-wicket stand with Rahul producing a couple of crisp boundaries in his first competitive match since May when rain made its way and no further action was possible on Sunday.

With action set to resume on the Reserve Day with India set to continue from where they left off on the previous day, we take a look at what’s in store as far as Colombo’s weather forecast for Monday is concerned:

Rain likely to make yet another appearance

For players and fans praying for clear skies and uninterrupted cricketing action on Monday in Colombo, we have some bad news for you — the rain clouds aren’t going anywhere from Colombo.

It is no secret that Sri Lanka experiences peak monsoon around the months of August and September and hosting matches during these months can be quite the challenge for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the country’s governing body for the sport.

According to Monday’s weather forecast for Colombo on Accuweather, there is a 99 per cent chance of rain with a 59 per cent probability of thunderstorms in the country’s largest city as well as executive and judicial capital.

Additionally, up to six hours of rain has been predicted in the forecast, which means the ground staff at the R Premadasa Stadium could end up spending more time at the centre than the players themselves.