The fifth and deciding Twenty20 international between India and South Africa was abandoned due to rain in Bangalore yesterday with the series ending level at 2-2.
India reached 28 for two in 3.3 overs after being put into bat first when a second rain interruption forced players off the field at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Umpires called off the match after rain refused to go away for over 90 minutes and players exchanged hand shakes.
Play started 50 minutes late, after rain forced the teams to head off the field just before the first ball was bowled.
South African quick Lungi Ngidi bowled the left-handed Ishan Kishan for 15, and then got his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad caught at mid-on for 10. Shreyas Iyer, on nought, and skipper Rishabh Pant, on one, were batting when play stopped for the final time.
Earlier, South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma was ruled out of the line-up due to an elbow injury he suffered in the team’s previous loss. Keshav Maharaj stood in as captain.
The Proteas won the opening two matches before the hosts bounced back to win the next two games with big margins.
Pant, India’s captain, said: “It might get a little bit frustrating, but there are a lot of positives, especially the way the whole team showed character after the series was 2-0. We are trying to find different ways of winning matches, we are trying to play in a new way.”
He added: “Mistakes will happen, but we are going in the right way. I think this is the first time I’ve lost this many tosses at the same time, but it’s not in my control, so I’m not thinking about it too much. From a team point of view it’s now about winning the last Test match in England, and from a personal point of view I would like to contribute more to making my team win.”
Maharaj, the South Africa captain, said: “Very disappointed that we couldn’t get a full game. It would have been an exciting end to an exciting tour, but we can’t control the weather. I think if you saw the way we played the first few games, we tried a few combinations. We’re a work in progress, and we’re trying different combinations to see how we shape up ahead of the World Cup. It’s a strong Indian outfit we came up against, so we didn’t want to take anything for granted.”
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Player of the Series, said: “When you get Man of the Series, it’s always a proud moment, and as a bowler in T20, it’s even better. I’m always focused on getting back stronger, whether it’s my bowling or my fitness. I’m playing for years now, my role has always been the same.”