The two-year wait for international cricket at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ended in an anticlimax on Saturday. Persistent rain washed out the fifth and final T20I between India and the West Indies, resulting in the five-match series ending in a 2-2 deadlock. The match was officially abandoned at 10:16 pm, with India sitting at 118 for 5 after 7.4 overs.
Officials determined there was no realistic chance to complete the required five-over chase of 84 runs for the West Indies before the 10:21 pm cut-off, leading players to shake hands in the dressing rooms. This washout deprived the West Indies of their potential first series victory on Indian soil since 2002. Despite the weather-driven finale, the visitors demonstrated significant resilience throughout the three-week tour, spanning both the ODIs and the T20 matches. 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.
Prospects for a full contest had seemed grim throughout the day due to unfavorable forecasts. Although the probability of rain briefly dipped from 70 percent to 30 percent in the morning, steady drizzle throughout the evening delayed the scheduled 6:30 pm toss. Play eventually commenced at 9:15 pm after the match was shortened to nine overs per side once the rain relented around 8:30 pm. 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. Though, lost his radar briefly, overstepping and then conceding five wides down the leg side in the same over, the all-rounder.
India, featuring a side that included the returning Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shivam Dube, faced early pressure as Keemo Paul extracted movement. Abhishek Sharma struck a six but fell shortly after, departing for six runs. Top-ranked T20I batter Ishan Kishan injected urgency into the innings by hitting 24 runs off a single over from Romario Shepherd. Kishan finished with 30 off 10 balls before Shamar Joseph dismissed him with a slower ball. 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. 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 early on as Keemo Paul extracted movement with the new ball, put into batting first.
Sanju Samson maintained the rapid pace, contributing to a team fifty achieved in just 2.5 overs—India’s fastest in T20I history. However, Samson was dismissed for 16 by Shamar Springer’s first delivery. Shreyas Iyer also struggled during his 14-ball stay, contributing 22 runs before being caught at deep mid-wicket off Paul. Naman Dhir provided a late flourish, remaining unbeaten on 24 off six balls. Springer, however, sent the off-stump of Samson (16) on a cartwheel ride with his very first delivery, while Shreyas Iyer laboured to 22 off 14 balls, surviving a run-out chance and a dropped catch by Sherfane Rutherford.
The innings was ultimately cut short when heavy rain resumed in the eighth over, shortly after Springer claimed the wicket of Tilak Varma. While Paul finished with bowling figures of 2-34 and Springer with 2-17, the weather prevented any further play, ensuring the series remained undecided on the field.
