Rain could play spoilsport in India vs Pakistan 2023 World Cup match in Ahmedabad

Rain may affect proceedings in the much-hyped India vs Pakistan 2023 World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), there is a forecast for light showers in the city on match day.

Both India and Pakistan have got their World Cup campaign off to impressive starts. While the Men in Blue beat Australia by six wickets in their opening match in Chennai, the hosts thumped Afghanistan by eight wickets in their second game in Delhi.

On the other hand, Pakistan registered an 81-run triumph over the Netherlands and then beat Sri Lanka by six wickets, gunning down 345 - the highest successful chase in the history of the men’s ODI World Cup.

Ahead of the India-Pakistan clash in Ahmedabad, news agency PTI quoted the IMD as saying that “light showers may occur at isolated places in Ahmedabad district on October 14”.

“The atmosphere will remain cloudy. The next day, light rains may occur in Ahmedabad and other northern districts, such as Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Arvalli,” Manorama Mohanty, director of Meteorological Centre in Ahmedabad, told the news agency.

Earlier, rain had also hampered proceedings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad earlier this year. The match went into the reserve day, with CSK winning a thrilling final.

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India vs Pakistan record in the ODI World Cup

India have a massive record to preserve when they face arch-rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The Men in Blue have never lost a match to Pakistan in the men’s ODI World Cup.

India and Pakistan met for the first time in the one-day World Cup during the 1992 edition in Sydney. A young Sachin Tendulkar scored 54 as India beat Pakistan by 43 runs. The 1996 clash in Bengaluru is famous for Venkatesh Prasad’s send-off to Aamer Sohail. The Men in Blue won this contest by 39 runs.

Prasad was the hero of India’s 47-run win over Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup clash in Manchester. He claimed 5/27 in 9.3 overs. Tendulkar’s legendary 98 off 75 balls headlined India’s six-wicket triumph in Centurion in 2003.

The Master Blaster again starred with 85 off 115 as India defeated Pakistan by 29 runs in the 2011 World Cup semi-final. In 2015 in Adelaide, Virat Kohli’s 107 lifted the Men in Blue to victory by 76 runs. India registered victory by 89 runs [DLS] in Manchester in 2019 as Rohit Sharma scored a sublime 140 off 113 balls.