Kandy, Sri Lanka: The much-anticipated cricket clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 is facing an ominous challenge in the form of unpredictable weather in Kandy, Sri Lanka. According to Weather.com, thunderstorms are predicted with a staggering 90% chance of rain on September 2, the day of the high-stakes match.
Google Weather also echoes these concerns, forecasting a thundershower with a 90% probability of precipitation and humidity levels at 85% in Kandy. The temperature is expected to hover around 28 degrees Celsius.
As anticipation builds for the showdown between these two cricketing giants, the Indian men’s cricket team touched down at Colombo Airport earlier this Wednesday. Seasoned campaigner Virat Kohli and versatile all-rounder Hardik Pandya were seen engaged in a conversation, setting the stage for what promises to be a gripping encounter.
However, there is a notable absence in the Indian lineup for this key encounter. Star batsman KL Rahul will not be part of the squad as he continues his recovery from a minor injury. Rahul is set to remain under the supervision of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) until September 4, as confirmed by India’s head coach Rahul Dravid in a press conference.
Dravid provided an update on Rahul’s condition, stating, “He (KL Rahul) had a good week with us; he is progressing really well on the route that we want to take, but he will be unavailable for the first part of the Kandy leg of the trip. The NCA will be looking after him while we are traveling. We will reassess him on the fourth (September 4), and we will take it from there. The signs are good, and he is progressing really well.”
The Asia Cup 2023 features a group stage comprising six matches, followed by the Super Fours stage beginning on September 6. The final match is scheduled for September 17 in Colombo, with the top two teams from the Super Four battling for supremacy.
The Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2023 includes:
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma,, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur,Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
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