IND vs WI: Bengaluru’s wait for international cricket ends without result; IND and WI share the honor

Brief Scores: India 118/5 in 7.4 overs vs. West Indies before rain had the final say in Bengaluru, forcing the abandonment of the fifth T20I.

Bengaluru’s wait for international cricket after almost two years ended in disappointment when rain washed out the fifth T20I between India and West Indies on Saturday, leaving the five-match series tied 2-2. The players shook hands as persistent drizzle ended the match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. After a delay of more than two hours, the match finally got under way as a nine-a-side match, but rain returned to interrupt the action. When the match was called off, India were 118 for 5 in 7.4 overs, leaving West Indies with no chance to bat.

India vs West Indies 5th T20I: MAIN | SCORECARD

West Indies will now have to wait longer for their first bilateral series win in India since 2002. They competed well during the tour, first in the ODIs and then in the T20Is, pushing India hard in a format in which they have traditionally been a formidable side. There was some hope of a full race at the start of the day, with the chance of rain forecast to drop from 70 per cent to 30 per cent. However, persistent showers kept the ground staff busy and delayed the launch. The rain finally eased around 20:30 IST, allowing the toss to take place and reducing the match to nine overs per side. West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to bowl.

The Bengaluru crowd, who waited patiently despite the long delay, got a brief taste of the action. Abhishek Sharma hit a six before falling to Keemo Paul while Ishan Kishan fired in and smashed 30 off just 10 balls. India raced to 46 in 2.4 overs before Shamar Joseph Kishana dismissed. Sanju Samson made a quick 16 off seven balls while Shreyas Iyer scored 22 off 14 deliveries. Naman Dhir provided the late flourish as he smashed an unbeaten 24 off just six balls. He made 16 runs in his first three deliveries, equaling Dinesh Karthik’s record for most runs by an Indian batsman in the first three balls of an innings. Karthik achieved the feat against Bangladesh in the final of Nidahas Trophy 2018.

Tilak Varma, meanwhile, struggled to find his rhythm and was bowled to leave India on 118 for 5 when the rain returned. The West Indies players waited for an opportunity to start their chase, but the weather offered no respite. With the five-match chase limit approaching, the referees eventually called off the match.

For the fans at Chinnaswamy, it was a frustrating end to a series that promised a close finish. Some left disappointed that the decider never got going, while others could at least take home the memories of a brief burst of great hitting. There was also hope that I would see Bhuvneshwar Kumar back in India colours after almost four years, but the rain denied them this opportunity.

– The end