A reserve day has been introduced for the Asia Cup Super Four contest between Pakistan and India in the Asia Cup in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Sunday (September 10), amid the possibility of rains interrupting the match.

Rain washed out the Pakistan-India ODI at the Pallakele Stadium in Sri Lanka on Sep 2 and brought about an anticlimactic end as the Green Shirts were left waiting for their chance to bat.

The Indian side were bowled out for 266 in the 49th over against a superior display of Pakistani pace bowling.

Multiple weather forecasts predicted a high probability of rain on Sunday, particularly during match hours. However, according to US-based forecaster AccuWeather, the likelihood of rain on Monday is even higher than on Sunday.

Similarly, The Weather Channel predicted a 96pc probability of rain on Monday and 94pc on Sunday.

ESPNcricinfo reported that it is the only match apart from the final to have a reserve day.

According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), a “reserve day has been incorporated” for the high-voltage tie scheduled at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.

“If adverse weather suspends play during the Pakistan versus India game, the match will continue on 11th September 2023 from the point at which it was suspended,” the statement said.

Ticket holders were advised to retain their match tickets which will remain valid and will be utilised for the reserve day.

‘Is India afraid?’

On Wednesday, former PCB chairman Najam Sethi posted screenshots of the weather forecasts of Colombo and Hambantota — a city in southern Sri Lanka— on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and questioned whether the decision to hold Pak-India matches in Colombo were driven by fear of defeat.

He said: “BCCI/ACC informed PCB today that they had decided to shift next India-Pak match from Colombo to Hambantota because of rain forecasts. Within one hour they changed their mind and announced Colombo as the venue. What’s going on? Is India afraid to play and lose to Pakistan? Look at the rain forecast!”