Bengaluru awaits rain clearance for series decider

Persistent rain delayed the toss in the fifth T20I between India and the West Indies in Bengaluru on Saturday. With the series tied 2-2, both teams awaited improved weather at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium for the decider

Bengaluru: Persistent rain delayed the toss in the fifth and final T20I between India and the West Indies at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

The covers remained firmly in place as the scheduled toss time of 6.30 pm approached, and match officials soon confirmed the delay. The drizzle grew heavier shortly afterwards, threatening a washout at a venue hosting its first international game in two years.

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“The toss has been delayed for the fifth and final T20I between the West Indies and India in Bengaluru due to rain,” Cricket West Indies (CWI) said in an update. Both teams had reached the ground as scheduled but were forced to remain in the dressing rooms without beginning their warm-ups.

The stands were about half full, with the DJ keeping fans entertained. The city has witnessed showers over the past few days with the northeast monsoon setting in, and more rain was forecast for the night.

However, the stadium’s much-vaunted SubAir drainage system, which helped rescue the India-New Zealand Test in October 2024, offered hope of a quick resumption once the rain relented.

The match also marked Bengaluru’s return to the international cricket calendar after a long hiatus. The venue had been sidelined since the deadly stampede in June 2025 during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations, in which 11 people lost their lives.

There was plenty riding on the contest, with the series locked at 2-2. India, the reigning Men’s T20 World Cup champions, were keen to avoid a second successive bilateral series defeat to the West Indies, having lost 2-3 away from home in August 2023.

West Indies skipper Shai Hope had spearheaded the visitors’ batting, topping the run charts with 261 runs, including two centuries in victories. India, meanwhile, had relied on a collective batting effort. However, the returns had been uneven, with the batters blowing hot and cold through the first four games.

Should the weather clear, a run-fest could be on the cards, as had been the case throughout the series. For now, all eyes remained on the skies, with the ground staff ready to remove the covers and the home crowd hoping the evening would still deliver a fitting finale to a closely fought series and a long-awaited return to international cricket in Bengaluru.