International cricket returned to Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium after a two-year hiatus, but the long-awaited series decider between India and the West Indies on Saturday ended in frustration. Persistent rain marred the fifth and final T20I, forcing the match to be abandoned at 10:16 pm with the series concluding in a 2-2 draw. This result prevented the West Indies from securing their first series victory on Indian soil since 2002.
Weather conditions remained a significant concern throughout the day.
Although early forecasts suggested a drop in rain probability from 70% to 30%, persistent evening drizzle prevented ground staff from preparing the pitch, resulting in a delayed toss. Action finally commenced around 8:30 pm following a reduction to nine overs per side, but the window for a result proved too narrow. With the West Indies needing 84 runs for victory, the 10:21 pm cut-off time passed without play resuming, leading players from both teams to shake hands in their respective dressing rooms. The players soon exchanged hugs and handshakes in the dressing rooms, but with no possibility of a five-over chase of 84 for the West Indies before the 10:21 pm cut-off. Though there was some hope in the morning when the probability of rain fell from 70 to 30 per cent, it was always going to be a close call for a full game to happen given the forecast. However, kept the ground staff away from getting the venue ready, leading to a delay in the scheduled toss at 6:30 pm, but persistent drizzle through the evening. Allowing the toss to take place and the match to be reduced to nine overs a side with a 9:15 pm start time, the rain finally relented around 8:30 pm. Though, lost his radar briefly, overstepping and then conceding five wides down the leg side in the same over, the all-rounder.
India, batting first, reached 118 for 5 in 7.4 overs before the weather intervened decisively. The innings saw notable returns, including Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who played his first international match in 1,437 days. Despite early pressure from Keemo Paul’s movement, India’s openers maintained an aggressive tempo. Ishan Kishan led the charge with a rapid 30 off 10 deliveries, including a 24-run onslaught against Romario Shepherd. Sanju Samson also contributed momentum, steering India to their fastest-ever team fifty in just 2.5 overs before falling for 16. The crowd, which waited patiently for hours, was treated to only a brief burst of action, led by Ishan Kishan’s blistering 30 off 10 balls, laced with three fours and two sixes, and some late hitting from Naman Dhir, who hit an unbeaten 24, before the rain had the final say.
The middle order experienced mixed fortunes. While Shreyas Iyer struggled to find his rhythm, managing 22 runs off 14 balls, Naman Dhir provided a late spark. Dhir remained unbeaten on 24 from just six balls, including two sixes and a four off Paul in a final surge of scoring. For the visitors, bowlers Keemo Paul and Shamar Springer recorded figures of 2-34 and 2-17, respectively, before heavy rain returned to end the proceedings.
Despite the anticlimactic end to the series, the West Indies departure from India marks the conclusion of a competitive three-week tour across both ODI and T20 formats. Although disappointed by the washout, the visitors leave having pushed their hosts throughout the series. The match also saw Shivam Dube step into the side for Mayank Yadav, while Nitish Kumar Reddy was sidelined due to illness, rounding out a day defined more by the weather than by the cricket itself. The visitors, however, could take heart from how they fiercely competed over the last three weeks, first in the ODIs and then in the shortest format. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar making a return after 1437 days and Shivam Dube included in place of Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was ruled out due to an illness, India were made to work hard e, put into batting first.
