First ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka abandoned due to rain in Karachi

KARACHI (92 News) – Pakistan’s opening one-day international against Sri Lanka was abandoned with not a single ball bowled due to rain at National Stadium on Friday.

The second ODI of the three-match series will be played in Karachi on Monday instead of Sunday. People will be able to watch the match on the tickets of the first match.

Due to the heavy downpour, the ground pitch has been covered and it won't be surprised if the match gets abandoned due to rain.

“The clouds have hovered over the ground throughout the day and there was forecast of the heavy downpour until the end of the day.” Both the teams have also reached in the ground. The cricket fans are reaching to watch the match in home ground.

Pakistan, hosting its first ODI in more than four years, wanted to treat the home crowd with a complete performance as the three-match series against Sri Lanka gets under way at National Stadium, Karachi.

After a disappointing World Cup campaign, Pakistan, under their new coach Misbahul Haq, and with new faces in the squad, appear to be a motivated lot. They have focused on fitness in the run-up to the series and go into the series with confidence.

The series presents an opportunity for players such as Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz, who are making comebacks into the national side, to establish themselves.

After the World Cup, Sri Lanka put up three complete performances to whitewash Bangladesh in the three-match ODI series at home last month. But with senior players withdrawing from the tour of Pakistan, they face an uphill task in unfamiliar conditions.