IND vs SA: The grand finale of this five-match had been hyped up and set up nicely. Sadly, only for rain to play spoilsport and wash out the game which saw only 3.3 overs being bowled. The series then ended level at 2-2, which meant South Africa continue to keep their proud record of not losing a limited-overs bilateral series in India since 2010!
Though the toss happened as scheduled – Keshav Maharaj, standing in for the injured Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to field, consigning Rishabh Pant to his fifth straight toss loss – a drizzle forced the match to start 50 minutes late with 19-over per said.
Ishan Kishan attacked Maharaj right from the second ball, clattering two sixes on the leg side before being bowled by a slower yorker by Lungi Ngidi. Ruturaj Gaikwad batted at a pedestrian rate for his 10 runs off 12 balls and was dismissed by another slower one from Ngidi, lobbing a dolly to Pretorious at mid-on.
The drizzle started once again as skipper Rishabh Pant came in and got heavier with Pant scoring a single of his first ball before the umpires asked the players to leave the field. The drizzle turned into a full shower. The weather gods didn’t relent for the next couple of hours and the match officials finally called the game off.
Fans were left disappointed and wanting for more as the series had been a cracker-jacker: the visitors started with a couple of thumping run-chases in Delhi and Cuttack before the hosts romped back in style with two wins in Vizag and Rajkot.
Here are some of the Tweets reacting to the IND vs SA abandoned game in Bangalore:
What else do you expect when you schedule a match in Bengaluru in the monsoon season? https://t.co/8TymXJXEqX
— Manasi Pathak (@ThatUnitedLady) June 19, 2022
Bengaluru and evening rains
Welcome to the city.
— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) June 19, 2022
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) June 19, 2022
Poetic justice in Bangalore where neither team deserve to lose the series.Proteas will leave india keeping their proud record intact of not losing a white ball series in India (ODI & T20) since 2011.
— Prasanna (@prasannalara) June 19, 2022
2-2 it is then. Over and out.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) June 19, 2022
#INDvSA abandoned, series shared. Good for both sides, SA started better, India caught up well.
— Nikhil
(@CricCrazyNIKS) June 19, 2022
(@CricCrazyNIKS) So mostly this year we are not gonna see the T20 match in Chinnaswamy… ICT will be traveling to England, West Indies and Asia cup mostly will happen outside India … Excited for today’s match but disappointed.
— Sai (@akakrcb6) June 19, 2022
Gotta feel for Tristan Stubbs. Makes his debut, doesn’t bat. Sits out for three matches. Then gets another game and it rains out. #INDvSA
— Firdose Moonda (@FirdoseM) June 19, 2022
South Africa haven’t lost a limited-over series in India since 2010#INDvSA
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) June 19, 2022
People pay 8k 10k to get to chinnaswamy to watch more rain less cricket
— arfan (@Im__Arfan) June 19, 2022
people in Bengaluru pay to watch rain under the glorious floodlights of Chinnaswamy
— Prajakta (@18prajakta) June 19, 2022
Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was named the Player of the Series: Bhuvneshwar was the joint-second highest wicket-taker with 6 scalps – just one behind Harshal Patel – and had the best bowling economy of only 6.07; he regularly gave India early strikes in the powerplay.
“Really proud. Body feels good, but I don’t want to talk much about it. Just want to focus on getting stronger physically and with my bowling. Most of the times I bowl two at the top and two at the end. Being a senior, I think about how to help the youngsters,” Kumar said at the post-series presentation.
India’s next assignment is the 2-T20I series in Ireland later this month, where the side will be led by Hardik Pandya.
