R. Premadasa Stadium Pitch Report: Bowlers’ heaven expected in IND vs PAK Super 4 clash

R. Premadasa Stadium Pitch Report: The much-awaited India vs Pakistan mega-clash in the Super 4 stage of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 is set to take place at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Initially, there were rumors suggesting that all Super 4 matches scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka would be relocated to Hambantota. However, later, it was confirmed that the matches would proceed as originally scheduled in Colombo. During the group stage of the Asia Cup, the IND vs PAK match in Pallekele had to be called off due to rain, with the second innings of the game yet to be played. Check out the detailed pitch report of the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium below.

R. Premadasa Stadium Pitch Report

The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has historically favored spinners, while also creating conditions where batters have an opportunity to showcase their shot-playing skills on a fresh wicket. The powerplay overs will undoubtedly be pivotal for them. Over the years, the average first innings score at this venue has hovered around 248 runs. However, for the upcoming matches in the Asia Cup 2023, there’s an expectation that the pitch might perform even better.

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Slower bowlers are likely to find substantial assistance from the wicket, particularly troubling the batters during the middle overs. The boundaries at the R. Premadasa Stadium aren’t particularly expansive, and the outfield is quite swift, further enhancing the batting conditions. Consequently, achieving a total above the 250-run mark can be considered a commendable performance on this track. Moreover, considering the weather forecast, an overcast day is expected in Colombo. Therefore, both team captains may seriously consider opting to bowl first if they win the toss on a Sunday afternoon.

IND vs PAK: Probable Playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan(w), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf

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