Jasprit Bumrah Returns to Team India; ACC Announces Reserve Day for Pakistan Showdown
Jasprit Bumrah has rejoined the Indian cricket team after a brief hiatus due to his commitment to the Asia Cup. His absence was attributed to the birth of his first child. The star fast bowler arrived in Colombo early on Friday, just in time to bolster India's squad for their first Super 4 match against arch-rivals Pakistan, scheduled for Sunday. Coinciding with Bumrah's return, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has declared a reserve day for this crucial showdown.
In light of the persistent inclement weather conditions in Colombo, the ACC has taken a prudent step by designating a reserve day for the Sunday fixture. In case adverse weather disrupts the game on the originally scheduled day, the match will resume on Monday from where it left off. Notably, reserve days have not been allocated for the other Super 4 matches due to their back-to-back nature, but the final match will have a reserve day in case of rain.
Bumrah's departure from Sri Lanka had followed India's initial game against Pakistan on September 2, causing him to miss the second league match against Nepal on September 4. However, his return synchronizes perfectly with the team's first Super 4 encounter.
On Friday evening, Bumrah will rejoin the squad for a practice session at the R Premadasa Stadium. Given the uncertainty of the weather, the Indian team may have to opt for indoor practice, as they did on Thursday, unless the weather conditions improve later in the evening. Fortunately, there has been no rain reported in Colombo since Friday morning (at the time of publishing), raising hopes for a productive evening practice session.
The weather forecast for the upcoming week is less than ideal, with Colombo expected to experience heavy rainfall, including a 90 percent chance of rain on Sunday. This explains the ACC's decision to arrange a reserve day for such a pivotal match. It's worth recalling that the India-Pakistan league game had to be abandoned due to rain.
On Saturday, during Sri Lanka's second Super 4 game against Bangladesh, there is an 85 percent chance of precipitation. Weather conditions are poised to play a significant role as the championship enters its crucial phase.
Following the Pakistan clash on Sunday, India's remaining fixtures include facing Sri Lanka on September 12 and Bangladesh three days later, on September 15. The only remaining Super 4 match will be contested between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on September 14, culminating in the final showdown on September 17. All these high-stake matches will unfold at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Colombo Leg Schedule:
- September 9: Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh
- September 10: Pakistan vs. India
- September 11: Reserve Day
- September 12: India vs. Sri Lanka
- September 14: Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka
- September 15: India vs. Bangladesh
- September 17: Final
- September 18: Reserve Day
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