That's all for today. Thank you so much for joining us. Until next time, it's goodbye. CIAO!
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The remaining two ODI in Lucknow and Kolkata will be played behind closed door. Here's the full story.
The recurring rain never allowed the groundstaff and the super soppers to get rid of the water completely.
It never looked like happening, did it! There was a heavy downpour yesterday and rained till 3 am in the morning today. There was a 90% chance of rain today and as it turned out, the weather forecast was spot on.
THAT'S IT! IT'S OFFICIAL! THE MATCH HAS BEEN ABANDONED WITHOUT A BALL BOWLED!
The suspense on the decision remains. The covers are still on and with every passing minute, the chances of a contest are getting slimmer than ever.
MORE ON IPL:
The directive from the Government of India to suspend all visas, barring a few categories, till April 15 has put the participation of foreign players in IPL 2020 in doubt. Cricket Australia (CA) has said the final decision, at this point, rests with the players and their respective franchises. Read the rest of the story by our reporter Ayan Acharya here
Our reporter Rakesh Rao updates from the stadium: "Though rain has stopped now, it is expected to be heavier when in returns..."
The cut-off time is 6:30 pm and to a constitute a game, a minumum of 40 overs are required. Last time South Africa travelled to Dharamsala, it was for a T20I against India. That too, was washed out. This match, unfortunately, is heading the same way.
Meanwhile, you can head to our Ranji final blog where Bengal and Saurashtra are battling it out to get the first innings lead, which is important because that team will be declared champion if the match ends in a draw.
Heavy rain, full ground covered, dark clouds and floodlights on. Yes, this is what Dharamsala looks like at 3:50 pm. Chances of play? Very, very slim.
The floodlights have been switched on. It's getting darker by the minute as the rain is back. Some covers were peeled off and super soppers were brought into action. But all the covers are back on and the game is now heading towards the worst-possible result.
What's the latest on IPL, you may ask?
The Governing Council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will meet in Mumbai on Saturday to discuss the threat of the coronavirus outbreak that’s set to affect the Twenty20 league’s 13th edition. Read the full report here.
While we wait for all the covers to come off and the toss to take place, you can read about the government's directive on the participation of the overseas player in IPL 2020 here.
What the weather currently looks like in Dharamsala:
Coronavirus effect: BCCI issues advisory for South Africa ODIs.The medical staff and first aiders at the stadiums will be keeping a record of all patients seeking treatment and follow up as may be necessary. Here's what the full advisory looks like.
India in ODIs at Dharamsala: Won-2 | Lost-2
1) India lost to England by seven wickets on Jan 27, 2013.
2) India beat West Indies by 59 runs on October 17, 2014.
3) India beat New Zealand by six wickets on October 16, 2016.
4) India lost to Sri Lanka by seven wickets on December 10, 2017.
The covers are back out on the field an it's gotten a lot darker in Dharamsala. The rain is back, so the 1:15 pm inspection hasn't happened.
Toss has been delayed due to wet outfield. Next inspection is at 1:15 pm.
PITCH REPORT: This is a typical Indian pitch, the batsmen will enjoy themselves. Nothing much in it for the new-ball bowlers, the finger spinners will not enjoy this surface as much as the wrist spinners, it looks very dry and it's a bat-first pitch. ( As presented by Sunil Gavaskar and Murali Karthik)
Rain Threat
The fans and the players will be hoping that rain does not play a spoilsport today. The weather forecast says there is a high percentage of thunderstorm and rain.
India, out of the two teams, will be more eager to step out and play after losing five international matches (Three ODIs an two Tests) on the trot.
South Africa, on the other hand, is high on confidence after beating Australia 3-0 in the recently concluded ODI series at home. This was the team's first series win, across all formats, after a year.
Match Preview
Following a harsh reality-check in New Zealand, Virat Kohli and his men are back in familiar environment. Backed by vociferous crowds, favourable conditions and pitches, the recently-battered team will look to redeem itself against an in-form South Africa in the three-match ODI series beginning here on Thursday.
Looking to break the five-match losing streak — all three ODIs and both Tests — to New Zealand, India could well turn to its time-tested “spin-to-win” mantra. But that alone is not going to do the trick.
RELATED |
The batsmen need to fire to restore confidence in the dressing room. Indeed, three ODIs in a week will test India’s top-order in the continued absence of an injured Rohit Sharma.
The Law of Averages seem to have finally caught up with Kohli. Returning from injury, Shikhar Dhawan is expected to take time to get back to the groove. Click here to read the full preview.
An impetuous and inexperienced Prithvi Shaw is still a 'work-in-progress'.
The rays of hope come from K. L. Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey, who look increasingly hungry to cement their spots in the playing XI.
SQUADS
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, K. L.Rahul, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini and Kuldeep Yadav.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (captain), Jaaneman Malan, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Kyle Verreynne, Heinrich Klassen, David Miller, George Linde, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks and Lungi Ngidi.
Where to watch: You can follow the live telecast on the Star Sports Network or watch the live streaming on Hotstar. Alternatively, you can follow the match on our blog.
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