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Watch: Wasim Akram shares much-awaited weather update from Kandy hours before IND vs PAK game in Asia Cup
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram posted a video hours before the start of the IND vs PAK match in Kandy.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2023 marks the return of the biggest rivalry in international cricket. The meeting in the continental tournament is also first One Day International (ODI) encounter between the two cricketing giants since the 2019 World Cup. While fans around the world have been eagerly awaiting this iconic showdown, there is a looming threat that rain might play spoilsport in Pallekele, with weather reports indicating a substantial 78 percent chance of rain interruption.
With the rain threat casting a shadow over this much-awaited encounter, former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram took to his official X account to share a crucial weather update. Akram, recording a selfie video, provided the realtime update from Kandy; slight drizzle could be seen pouring around the area, with Akram – recording from his hotel room – informing that his venue was an hour's drive away from the Pallekele International Stadium.
Also read: 'If Pakistan bat first, they will literally hammer India': Shoaib Akhtar's audacious claim ahead of IND vs PAK clash
“Many people are asking me about the weather in Kandy. Where I'm staying, there's a drizzle with cloud cover. But you can see that the weather is clearing. The ground is one hour away from here. Maybe, the weather is different there,” Akram said in the video.
He also had a message for the fans of both teams. “All the best to both teams. And remember, it's just a match. Someone will win and someone will lose. Enjoy good cricket,” said the Pakistan great.
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Pakistan is riding high on confidence as they enter the blockbuster clash against India, having secured a resounding 238-run victory over Nepal in the tournament's opening match. On the other hand, India have been diligently preparing for the competition with a five-day intensive training camp held in Alur before their arrival in Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
Over the past few years, under the leadership of Babar Azam, Pakistan has showcased remarkable performances in white-ball cricket, posing a formidable challenge to India in T20Is. Notably, Pakistan has won two out of the four T20I matches played against India since their last ODI World Cup encounter in 2019. One of the wins came in the T20 Asia Cup last year as well, when they defeated India in a Super Fours game.
Return of India stars
The anticipation surrounding the India-Pakistan match is already sky-high among Indian fans, and it is further elevated by the return of star players like Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami, which provides a significant boost to the Indian squad. Bumrah did make a return to the side in the T20I series against Ireland earlier this year, but makes a return to the ODI team after more than a year.
