BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA: Rain played spoilsport as the fifth and final T20I of the series between Australia and India had to be abandoned at the Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday, November 8. This was the second time in the series that rain interrupted proceedings, and due to which a game had to be called off.
India won the series 2-1. Australia won the toss at the Gabba and opted to bowl first on an even looking surface before India’s openers Shubman Gill (29*) and Abhishek Sharma (23*) got off to an explosive start to take them to 52-0. Ben Dwarshuis opened the bowling for the hosts, and was treated to two boundaries by Sharma in the first over itself.
Right-arm seamer Xavier Bartlett bowled the second over, and did well for the most part except for conceding a boundary off the fifth ball that Gill slapped through the covers from a good length. Dwarshuis’ second over was more inflammatory, as he conceded four boundaries, all to Gill, the last of which was an emphatic pull shot over square leg.
Nathan Ellis replaced Dwarshuis and then saw Sharma get dropped by the latter off the third delivery at fine leg. The latter made the most of this reprieve by pulling a back-of-a-length delivery over deep midwicket for a huge six to end the over. Bartlett returned for another over, but lightning had started to make its presence felt by then, and the rain soon followed.
After waiting for the best part of two hours, the officials took the call to abandon the match, since no further play was possible. Captain Suryakumar Yadav took hold of the series trophy while everyone posed for pictures. India will now hop on to a flight back home and prepare for their upcoming series against South Africa (comprising of two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is), starting in Calcutta on November 14.
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