The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 was marred by intermittent rain disruptions during the first innings on Saturday. The weather forecast in Pallekelle had been overcast from the outset, and slight drizzle had led to the ground being covered just before the toss. However, 13 minutes prior to the toss, the rain subsided, and the covers were removed.

Despite this respite, rain returned after just 4.2 overs of play, with India at 15/0 at that moment. During this rain break, the broadcasters attempted to capture a byte from Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, who was sitting in the dugout near the boundary. However, Rohit was not keen on being on camera and requested them not to shoot the video, asking them to lower the camera.

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The rain interruption turned out to be advantageous for Pakistan as they swiftly claimed two crucial wickets when play resumed. Pakistan’s premier pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi, dismissed the prized scalps of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, severely denting India’s progress following the brief rain delay.

Rohit Sharma is asking camera man to stop filming him. 😂🫣

Credit – (Hotstar)#INDvsPAK #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/tCTqi71NDZ

— 12th Khiladi (@12th_khiladi) September 2, 2023

Rohit Sharma had started his innings solidly, striking a couple of boundaries off Shaheen’s deliveries. However, the rain break disrupted his rhythm. When the rain halted play, Rohit was on 11 runs, but upon resumption, he failed to add to his score and was bowled by Shaheen on the final ball of the fifth over.

Despite the overcast conditions, Rohit Sharma had elected to bat first, emphasizing the need for his team to embrace the challenging situation. He stated, “We are going to bat first. There is a bit of weather around, but can’t think much about it. We’ve got to play good cricket, you need to embrace the challenge, embrace the situation. We had some time off after the West Indies series. Everyone was up for those drills and challenges in Bangalore.”

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Rohit also highlighted the quality of the Asia Cup, featuring strong opposition teams, and expressed his aspirations for the tournament. He mentioned the return of key players like Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah, as well as the team’s composition with three seamers and two spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. As the rain continued to play a role in the match, the cricketing world awaited the resumption of this exciting encounter between India and Pakistan.