India, Pakistan in Super Four showdown today

COLOMBO, Sep 9 (Agencies): Since Friday, the Asia Cup was thrown into chaotic scenes as the announcement of a reserve day for the India-Pakistan Super Four clash came into the picture. Now, as the two teams look to renew their rivalry in Colombo on Sunday, the rain threat hasn't subsidised.
Just like India's league game at Pallekele was abandoned due to rain and their chase against Nepal affected by similar reason, the threat of a washout looms high in Colombo. As per various weather forecasts, chances of precipitation for Sunday's match are at 90 per cent.
Due to this, there is a reserve day in place for the clash on Monday, but the forecasts also say it has a 100 per cent precipitation chance. If a miracle results in the weather clearing up in Colombo, India would like to seek some answers in finalising their combination for the Men's ODI World Cup.
With Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli looking settled as top three, as well as Shreyas Iyer coming back as number four batter, India has to find solutions to its predicament of choosing between KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as their first-choice wicketkeeper-batter.
Since January 2020, Rahul averages 56.53 in his resurgence as a dependable middle-order batter for India, before a right thigh injury which needed surgery kept him out of action since May this year.
Though a niggled unrelated to original injury kept him out of Pallekele leg, he did participate in wicket keeping drills in Colombo, signaling that he's ready to take up dual roles. On the other hand, Kishan, the left-handed batter, is on a run of four consecutive fifties.
Three of those fifties came as an opener in the West Indies and last of which was a sublime 82 under pressure against Pakistan at number five, a place he never batted before, impressing everyone with his versatility.
India will also be keen to see how pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah fares as a bowler in ODIs. Bumrah did play in the game against Pakistan last week, but hasn't bowled in ODIs since July last year, skipping the game against Nepal to go back home for the birth of his first child.
India's batters will undoubtedly be challenged by Pakistan's bowlers, the pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, who took all ten wickets at Pallekele, with Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan to support them.
Though Naseem had a shoulder injury scare against Bangladesh in the Super Four match at Lahore, he did resume bowling. All these ingredients shape up for another tantalising affair, provided rain doesn't come into play.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said Saturday his side will have an edge over India in their Asia Cup Super Four clash, with a bowling line-up ready to win matches and tournaments.
Pakistan won their opening match of the Super Four stage and a second win will further enhance their chances of making the final on September 17.
But rain in the Sri Lankan capital is expected to play spoilsport again in the match, for which a reserve day has been kept aside.
"You can say we have the edge, as we have played back-to-back cricket here (in Sri Lanka) and in Pakistan," Azam told reporters.
"It has been two-and-a-half months in Sri Lanka including the Test series, Lanka Premier League, Afghanistan series and now the Asia Cup. So you can say it will be advantage (for us)."
India opener Shubman Gill said not playing Pakistan regularly made it tough to gauge the opposition.
"We all know that their bowling attack is quite good and when you don't play against such attacks often it makes a bit of difference in main tournaments," said Gill.
Gill, who was bowled by Rauf for 10 in Pallekele last week, and the Indian batsmen have been facing a left-arm specialist in their training to counter Shaheen. He said the variation "helps".
India managed to post 266 all out after they slipped to 66-4 against Pakistan last week and Gill said the team has taken confidence from the fightback.
"Openers need to make a good start and need to dominate them from the beginning," he said.
"In the league match, our top order did not click much, still we made a competitive total...so, it was a good sign."
Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel and Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve).