India vs South Africa 3rd Twenty20 Highlights: Match Abandoned Without A Ball Being Bowled, South Africa Win Series 2-0
India came into the third T20I in Eden Gardens with an aim to restore some pride. However, a sharp shower before the start of the match delayed the start. In the end, the outfield was not ready in time and the match ended in disappointment for the players and the fans. Relive all the moments here.
21:40 hrs IST: This match was considered to be a marquee tribute to the late Jagmohan Dalmiya but it has turned out to be a damp squib. South Africa have won the series 2-0 but the focus will now be on the ODI series with the first ODI starting on October 11 in Kanpur. Relive all the moments of this wash-out here. (SCORECARD)
21:35 hrs IST: The sharp shower at 16:00 has done the damage. The outfield is still not ready and the umpires have taken the decision to abandon the match. South Africa have won the three-match T20I series 2-0. Big disappointment for the fans and the players.
21:15 hrs IST: There are serious concerns that the match could get abandoned without a ball here. Former South Africa bowler, Shaun Pollock, has tweeted that we will be lucky if we get a five over game.
Think that we may have a 5-7 over match in Kolkata,starting around 10 pm if we lucky, thumbs crossed!!
- Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) October 8, 2015
20:56 hrs IST: Not only the fans will be frustrated, but the players are also getting frustrated. This photo of Virat Kohli sums it up. We are coming to that stage where the match is going to be severly curtailed. We might be very lucky to get a five-over game in.
© AFP
20:45 hrs IST: The frustration continues to mount at Eden Gardens. The umpires were discussing with South African skipper Faf du Plessis about the condition of the outfield. They have decided to have another inspection at 21:30 hrs. The cut-off time for a five-over match is 22:15 hrs.
Update : Umpires will have another inspection at 21.30 local @Paytm #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/HSwsA8N9Sr
- BCCI (@BCCI) October 8, 2015
20:26 hrs IST: The umpires are once again coming out to the middle. The main problem seems to the boundary edges and one would be hoping that conditions improve in those parts of the ground.
© BCCI
20:15 hrs IST: We are coming close to the time of the inspection. It looks like we might have a 15-over game provided the umpires deem playing conditions to be safe.
19:45 hrs IST: Well, this is frustrating. Despite good conditions since 18:00 IST, the umpires still think that conditions are not suitable for play. There will be another inspection at 20:30. The overs will start getting reduced from 20:00. According to reports, the cut-off time for the match is 22:15 for a five-over game.
19:32 hrs IST: The umpires are having a look at the outfield. Super-Soppers are still doing their rounds. However, it looks like conditions have improved a lot since 18:00 IST.
19:20 hrs IST: Sourav Ganguly is walking around the outfield and he is chatting with South Africa T20I skipper Faf du Plessis. Meanwhile, the Indians continue to warm-up with just the pitch being covered.
19:17 hrs IST: If the match resumes at 8 PM, no overs will be lost. As per the regulations, overs start getting cut after an hour of no play from the scheduled start.
19:04 hrs IST: MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are fabulous cricketers. However, their skills in football are also exemplary. Here is a glimpse of their brilliance.
© BCCI
18:58 hrs IST: Sourav Ganguly, former India player and CAB president-designate, is out there speaking with the Indian players. A gentle reminder: Umpires will inspect at 7:30 PM.
18:51 hrs IST: Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith says India are suffering from plenty of problems in this series. The run-outs have proved to be costly, MS Dhoni is struggling to finish games while barring R Ashwin, no other bowler has made an impact.
18:48 hrs IST: Currently, there is no rain at Eden. The Indian players are warming up with a bit of football while most of the covers have come off. Only the main pitch has been covered. Encouraging signs.
The twenty20 series lost, India's last chance to take some winning momentum into the ODI series, starting in Kanpur on Sunday, lies at Eden Gardens on Thursday evening. While South Africa look for a record 3-0 sweep, India will fancy their chances too and the Kolkata crowd will back them for sure. (LIVE SCORECARD/NEWS/STATS)
© AFP
18:28 hrs IST: While we wait for the rain to clear, here is one stat. Rohit Sharma has a fabulous record at the Eden Gardens. In his first Test at Kolkata, he made 177 against West Indies. In his first ODI as an international player at his venue, he made a record-breaking 264 against Sri Lanka. How much will he make in his first T20I at this venue? Even in the IPL, he has scored some big runs at this venue.
18:12 hrs IST: A warm welcome to the third and final T20I in Kolkata. India will be aiming to salvage some pride while South Africa will be gunning for a 3-0 clean sweep. However, there is some bad news. There was a heavy spell of rain before the match and the ground has been covered. The super-soppers are in operation and the start has been delayed. There is an inspection due at 7:30 but until then, fans have a frustrating wait in store for them.
A spell of heavy showers has got Eden under wraps.Groundsmen working hard to keep conditions at check #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/eSfxdMjEcl
- BCCI (@BCCI) October 8, 2015
© AFP
Preview
India will surely be testing their bench at Eden Gardens. Apart from losing tosses, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's choice of players and strategies have clearly not worked in the first couple of Twenty20 internationals. (India vs South Africa: David Miller Wants South Africa to Sweep India 3-0)
Flaws have surfaced in India's cricket so far. The running between the wickets has been atrocious, the openers have failed to give a foundation, the middle order has been found wanting and the bowling has been bereft of sting and imagination. You can't win matches with so many shortcomings. (Jagmohan Dalmiya Omnipresent at Eden Gardens)
South Africa have triumphed purely because they have fielded excellently, bowled the right areas and the top six have chipped in with good scores. Unlike India, South Africa haven't experimented with playing combinations. The decision to make AB De Villiers open the innings has been a masterstroke. (Rahane, Binny Slog It Out in Nets)
Rahane, Binny to Play?
Ajinkya Rahane should be getting a game tonight. To leave him out to accommodate Ambati Rayudu did not help at all. Suresh Raina, the only Indian to score a Twenty20 international hundred till Rohit Sharma became the second man in the opening game in Dharamsala on October 2, has been feeding off his reputation. Where are the runs?
Dharamsala debutant pacer Sreenath Aravind made way for Harbhajan Singh in Cuttack. It hardly made any difference. Axar Patel, whose one over enabled JP Duminy steal India's thunder in Dharamsala, will open the doors for seaming all-rounder Stuart Binny.
There are lessons in defeats. Dhoni must learn from them and not make excuses. If the World T20 next March-April is the goal, then there is no need to panic. But fans love to live in the present. Future can wait.
South Africa have won two of their last three T20 series, both in the subcontinent. They drew the other won against New Zealand at home and have not lost a T20 series since defeat to Australia last November. They have an emotional attachment with Eden Gardens and a 3-0 result will be the perfect icing in the cake.