Weather forecast encouraging for today’s Pak-NZ game

RAWALPINDI: The biggest question Pakistan-New Zealand five-match T20 series faces is whether the clouds would clear away to get the proceedings under way in time on Saturday following just two deliveries of action in the rain-marred opening T20 at the Pindi Stadium on Thursday.

The forecast for Saturday is encouraging as there is all the likelihood that evening will be clearer and Sunny. Barring some passing showers early morning and at noon the forecast for Saturday is encouraging.

The rain continued to pour down in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday with short breaks. “We kept ourselves busy throughout the day. When rain stops we make best efforts to clear the field or at least clear the water from above the covers. This way chances of water creeping through the covers into the square or pitches are remote. I hope that things will improve drastically by early Saturday morning. What we need is a good few dry hours to make the things ready for timely start of the second T20 international,” Sarfraz Ahmad, head groundsman, when contacted said.

He praised the staff and workers for making all-out effort to avoid any longer delays once the rain stops. “When you keep yourself busy and make the best use of the rain breaks, things get batter.

This way you only require a few hours to make the ground, square and outfield ready for the action. I am very confident that play will start in time on Saturday for the second T20 International. Forecast is also good for Saturday that helps us even more and keep us active,” he said.