Rain washed out the fifth T20I between India and West Indies in Bengaluru on Saturday, leaving the series tied 2-2. India reached 118/5 in 7.4 overs before persistent drizzle forced the match to be abandoned. Fans waited two years for this international game, but the weather had the final say.
Brief Scores: India 118/5 in 7.4 overs vs West Indies before rain had the final say in Bengaluru, forcing the fifth T20I to be abandoned.
Bengaluru's wait for international cricket after nearly two years ended on a disappointing note as 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 brought an end to the contest at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. After a delay of more than two hours, the match had finally got underway as a nine-over contest, but the rain returned to cut short the action. India were 118 for 5 in 7.4 overs when the match was called off, leaving West Indies without a chance to bat.
India vs West Indies, 5th T20I: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
West Indies will now have to wait longer for their first bilateral series win in India since 2002. They competed well throughout 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 had been some hope of a full contest earlier in the day, with the forecast probability of rain dropping from 70 per cent to 30 per cent. However, persistent showers kept the ground staff busy and delayed the start. The rain finally eased around 8:30 PM IST, allowing the toss to take place and the match to be reduced to nine overs per side. West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and opted to bowl.
The Bengaluru crowd, which had waited patiently through the long delay, got a brief taste of the action. Abhishek Sharma struck a six before falling to Keemo Paul, while Ishan Kishan came out firing, smashing 30 off just 10 balls. India raced to 46 in the 2.4-over powerplay before Shamar Joseph dismissed Kishan. Sanju Samson chipped in with a quick 16 off seven balls, while Shreyas Iyer scored 22 off 14 deliveries. Naman Dhir provided a late flourish, hammering an unbeaten 24 off just six balls. He struck 16 runs off his first three deliveries, equalling Dinesh Karthik's record for the most runs scored by an Indian batter off the first three balls of an innings. Karthik had achieved the feat against Bangladesh in the 2018 Nidahas Trophy final.
Tilak Varma, meanwhile, struggled to find his rhythm and was bowled, leaving India at 118 for 5 when the rain returned. The West Indies players waited for a chance to begin their chase, but the weather offered no respite. With the cut-off time for a five-over chase approaching, the umpires eventually called off the match.
For the fans at the Chinnaswamy, it was a frustrating end to a series that had promised a close finish. Some left disappointed that the decider never got going, while others could at least take home memories of the brief burst of big hitting. There was also the hope of seeing Bhuvneshwar Kumar back in India colours after nearly four years, but the rain denied them that opportunity.