Rivals in friendly banter amidst rain no-result rues

Rivalry apart between the two nations, the rain perhaps showered moments of friendship between Indian and Pakistan cricketers in their first encounter in four years on Saturday at Pallekele, Kandy in the on-going Asia Cup 2023. Due to the intermittent rain, the match ended in a no-result as Pakistan couldn’t bat in response to India’s 266. Here several cricketers from the two cricketing nations engaged in friendly banter in the pavilion soon after the match was called off. In a boost to tourism, hundreds of fans from India and Pakistan flew into Sri Lanka to witness their contest, first since the 2019 World Cup.

Fans wave India’s and Pakistan’s national flags during the Asia Cup 2023 one-day international (ODI) cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on 2 September - Pic by Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP