SYDNEY: Rain played spoilsport as the tri-series cricket match between India and Australia was today abandoned with the two teams sharing the points, which left the visiting side in with a chance to make it to the final. After being put into bat, India were 69 for two after 16 overs when play was stopped due to rain at 5pm local time (11:30 IST) and after a wait of three hours the umpires decided to call off the match.
The two teams take two points each from today’s match, which means that the final league game between India and England on January 30 at the WACA in Perth will be a straight knockout for a chance to play Australia in the final on February 1 at the same venue.
Unbeaten Australia, who have 15 points after today’s no result, have already qualified for the final while winless India and England have two and five points respectively. A team gets four points for a win. India had lost to Australia and England in their first-leg matches of the double round robin format tournament.
The start of the match was delayed by 40 minutes due to drizzle since morning and there was first rain interruption at 3:30 pm local time (10 am IST) when India were six for no loss in 2.4 overs. Play resumed with India losing the struggling Shikhar Dhawan for eight in the seventh over and then Ambati Rayudu for 23 in the 13th over.
Dhawan was caught by Aaron Finch at slips off the bowling of Mitchell Starc as the Indian opener dabbed at a delivery that bounced a bit extra from a good length just outside the off-stump without any movement of his feet.
Rayudu was dismissed off the bowling of Marsh with David Warner taking a sensational catch. The Indian batsman had charged and slashed at the ball, carving it high over the infield on the off side and Warner ran from the cover to take a well-judged catch.
Rayudu faced 24 balls from which he hit two boundaries and one six. India were 62 for two when Rayudu was out and they slowed down, scoring just seven runs from the next 3.1 overs before rain stopped play. Ajinkya Rahane was batting on 28 while Virat Kohli was giving him company on three when rain stopped play. Rahane had faced 50 deliveries from which he hit two fours.
