IND v SA, 5th T20I: Start of play delayed as rain intervenes before a ball is bowled

Bengaluru, June 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Just when the fifth and final T20I between India and South Africa was to begin at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, the rain gods arrived and caused a delay in the proceedings even before a ball was bowled.

With a sub-air drainage system installed in the stadium, one can expect the match to start quickly once the downpour stops. An update at 7.17 pm said rain had stopped with visuals showing ground staff on work to get play started as soon as possible.

In the run-up to the match, heavy rain was forecast for match day, especially around the start time. The rain had also affected the semifinals of the 2021/22 Ranji Trophy in the city this week. Covers were brought on immediately as the rain began to make its presence felt and players from both teams rushed into the dugout.

Earlier, stand-in South Africa skipper Keshav Maharaj won the toss and elected to bowl first against an unchanged Indian side in the series decider. The series is currently locked at 2-2 and Sunday's match under overcast skies in Bengaluru will decide the winner of the five-match affair. In winner-takes-it-all affairs since 2016 in T20Is, India have won nine out of eleven times while losing just twice.

For South Africa, Maharaj, captaining in absence of an injured Temba Bavuma, said Reeza Hendricks, Tristan Stubbs and Kagiso Rabada come into the playing eleven in place of Bavuma, Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi.

Playing XIs

India: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (captain & wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Avesh Khan

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje

Source: IANS