Pakistan have secured a spot in the Super 4 round of the Asia Cup 2023, earning one point in their second league game against India. However, both teams were awarded a point each due to a rain-induced washout during Pakistan’s chase at Pallekele Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
This achievement makes Pakistan the first team to officially qualify for the next round of the Asia Cup 2023. Meanwhile, India, considered strong contenders, have yet to make their official entry into the Super 4 round, which is scheduled to be held at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
India to face off against Nepal
India are set to face Nepal in the fifth match of the continental cup on Monday (September 4) at the same Pallekele Stadium in Kandy. The winner of this crucial match will advance to the next round and join Pakistan as a Group A representative. Given the do-or-die nature of the encounter, both India and Nepal will be eager to deliver their best performances and secure a place in the competition.
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The journey of India and Nepal in the tournament thus far
In the rain-affected encounter against Pakistan, India won the toss and elected to bat. The Indian innings had a decent start but was interrupted by rain. The break worked wonders for Pakistan as they quickly took three wickets, including those of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. Shubman Gill was also dismissed soon after, leaving India in trouble. Nevertheless, the pair of Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya not only steadied the ship but put India in a strong position. India finished with 266 runs on the board, but the second innings could not resume due to rain, resulting in a no-result match.
On the other hand, Nepal will face the Indian cricket team for the first time in ODIs. After suffering a heavy defeat against Pakistan in their first group-stage game, Rohit Paudel and his team need a remarkable performance to progress.
In the event of rain causing a game washout, what will occur?
There are predictions of heavy thunderstorms in Kandy on Monday, which could lead to another washout in the multi-national event. In the event of a washout, India and Nepal will share a point each, just as India and Pakistan did on Saturday. India will have two points after their league round, as they will receive one from each encounter, and will qualify for the Super 4 round. Nepal will only have one point in their league campaign due to their defeat against Pakistan. Nepal can only qualify for the Super 4 if they manage to defeat India. In that scenario, Nepal will have two points, and Team India will exit the tournament with just one point.
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