India vs New Zealand Highlights: Persistent rain washes out Hamilton ODI

Well that’s it. The match has been called off due to persistent rain. Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav entertained the crowd with some glorious strokes before rain halted play for the second time. India was 89 for 1 in 12.5 overs when rain stopped play. The match was reduced to 29-overs-a-side as the first interruption caused a four-hour break.

It’s still raining and we need at least 20 overs to get an official game but the play has been stopped with India at 89/1 in 12.5 overs. The latest the game can restart is at 8:35pm local time.

Rain returns once again at the Seddon Park and this might take a while as the big covers are on. Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill have given the Indian innings a much-needed impetus as the duo has forged an important 66-run partnership off 46 balls with Surya in full flow. We might start losing more overs as we wait for a resumption.

Surya gets into the act and cleanly connects one as he smokes Mitchell Santner over the deep mid-wicket region for a maximum as India marches ahead with an eye on the sky. Gill and Surya know exactly how to approach the innings and this is a T20 with the match reduced to 29 overs. Gill is looking composed in the middle and Surya has come out with a lot of positive intent.

The pitch has quickened up just a bit after being under the covers for a while as Matt Henry digs in a bumper but Shubman Gill seems to have got his eye in as the opener pulls the bowler into the deep backward square leg for a maximum. Surya survived a lbw appeal and New Zealand retained the review. India on the attacking mode.

Dhawan departs early as the Indian captain tried to go after the bowling but was undone by a Matt Henry back of length delivery. Dhawan went for a swing only to mistime it and give Ferguson a simple catch at mid-on. Suryakumar Yadav gets a promotion ahead of Shreyas Iyer.

Shubman Gill and Shikhar Dhawan are out in the middle and it will be challenging for both openers to once again get back in the groove and get their rhythm back. Reminder, it’s a 29 over game and India will approach this with a T20 mindset.

This is hilarious at the Seddon Park as the covers are off again and we are in for Live action in about five minutes

This is such frustrating as Gill and Dhawan were on the park and it started raining again as the covers are back on. We wait and watch.

Right then we have a rain-curtailed match and it has been reduced to 29 overs per side and play will get underway in 10 minutes from now. India has another 24 overs to bat as Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill have played five overs before rain halted play.

We have a match in our hands and the groundsmen are working at full throttle to ensure the Seddon Park is ready for resumption. Inspection in 15 minutes.

Good news folks as the rain has stopped and the covers are off the square. We will have an inspection soon.

The cut off time for the game is 8:04pm local time and currently it’s 5:40pm in Hamilton. We have got plenty of time but first the rain has to stop for an inspection to happen. There was a scheduled inspection but the rain came back and so as the covers.

It has stopped raining and we will have an inspection soon. There has already been a loss in overs and we need to wait and watch about the resumption. Stay tuned.

The rain has picked up and we are getting closer to the cut-off time. The play should start max by 8:04pm local time. Fingers crossed.

It’s still pouring in Hamilton and we wait for an official confirmation regarding the restart of the game.

We have definitely started to lose overs and there is no sign of resumption. It’s going to be a long day and the only sign right now is that of the kids playing cricket on the grass banks.

The rain has gotten heavier and we are in for a long delay. The forecast isn’t that great and all we can hope is for the rain to stop as soon as possible so that the players can get on with the game.

“Considerable cloudiness, a heavy shower in the morning followed by heavy showers this afternoon,” is what the weather forecast in Hamilton according to the weather man.

It’s still raining at the moment and we are in for a further delay. Dhawan, Laxman and Kanitkar are involved in an intense discussing with the skipper all ears to Laxman. We will have some official news soon.

Well the umpires take the players out of the field and the rain has picked up in Hamilton disrupting Shubman Gill’s momentum. We have a lot of time before the overs are reduced and it’s just a gentle drizzle. The covers are on.

Shubman Gill is looking in good touch and he exhibits a beautiful on-drive, just pure timing with a gentle push down the ground and there is a slight drizzle in the air. The rain has started to arrive in Hamilton and Simon Doull informs that it’s coming from the north and there is rain in store.

Shubman Gill and Shikhar Dhawan are off the mark with the former hitting two boundaries to get the innings going. A strong backfoot player, Gill uses the depth of the crease to dispatch Southee through the covers for a boundary.

Shubman Gill and Shikhar Dhawan are out in the middle and we are all set for the clash to begin. It will be Tim Southee who will operate with the new ball. Here we go!

“We would have bowled first as there’s moisture in the wicket. Even in the last game the wicket was seaming for the first 10-15 overs, we got to keep the positive intent and go for the runs. We got two changes. Instead of Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar comes in and Deepak Hooda comes in place of Sanju Samson.”

India Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

New Zealand Playing XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson(c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson

Deepak Hooda and Deepak Chahar are in the Playing XI instead of Sanju Samson and Shardul Thakur

New Zealand wins toss, opts to bowl first

“Looks like a very hard deck, can sense 300 again. Maybe a little bit of moisture early because the covers have just come off. It’s a good wicket and unlike start-stop nature of this surface, there’s enough covering of grass which means it could come on nicely onto the bat”

The covers are coming off which means the toss is just round the corner

The toss has been delayed due to wet outfield and rain has stayed away so far. The covers might come off and it’s one of those days where the groundsmen will be on their feet.

It’s getting brighter in Hamilton and the conditions are improving, which is a good news. Although the square is under the covers. We should have the toss soon.

The players are warming up at the moment and it’s windy out there with rain around the corner.

India will look to level the series but there is a rain threat that is looming large. However, there is no rain at the moment.