Persistent rain at Seddon Park in Hamilton has forced the abandonment of the third ODI between India and New Zealand, preventing any play from taking place on Tuesday. Despite a lengthy delay of more than two hours, the weather conditions remained unsuitable for cricket, ultimately leading the umpires to call off the contest.
India entered the match holding a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, and the washout ensures they cannot lose the series. The result also brings an end to New Zealand's streak of 11 consecutive bilateral
Frustrated by the elements
The day began with India captain
As ground staff worked to remove the covers, a fresh downpour forced the pitch to be protected once more. Although there was theoretically enough time to complete a 20-over match, the persistent rain and a 90 percent chance of precipitation throughout the day left the umpires with no choice but to abandon the game before the local cut-off time of 7:50 PM.
Looking ahead to the final matches
India secured their 2-0 advantage through a five-wicket win in the Auckland opener and a narrow four-run victory in Wellington, both of which were decided via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. With the series now moving to Mount Maunganui for the final two fixtures on November 13 and 15, New Zealand must win both remaining games to force a series draw.
The third ODI marked the final appearance in this series for captain Shubman Gill and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who are both set to join the Test squad in Wellington. They will be joined by Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, and Mohammed Siraj. Shreyas Iyer is confirmed to take over the captaincy for the final two matches of the ODI series.
