Mother of all storms washes out deciding T20
The mother of all monsoon storms hit Bengaluru on Sunday night, washing out the fifth and final T20 between India and South Africa, and forcing the two teams to share the series at 2-2.
South Africa had once again won the toss and elected to bowl, with stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj (Temba Bavuma having not recovered from his elbow injury) being belted for two sixes in the first over by Ishan Kishan.
But Lungi Ngidi then produced two excellent slower balls to remove the two Indian openers, Kishan (15) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (10), to leave the home side struggling on 28 for two midway through the fourth over.
With the Proteas having taken an early hold on the game, but with India enjoying the momentum of winning the previous two matches, it was difficult to know who felt more relieved by the intervention of the rain.
South Africa had made three changes to their team, modifying the balance of their side to bolster the batting, but leaving themselves with just five frontline bowlers. Reeza Hendricks was going to replace Bavuma at the top of the order, while Tristan Stubbs came in for Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada returned from a groin niggle to replace Tabraiz Shamsi, leaving Maharaj as the sole spinner.
Spare a thought for Stubbs, who has now earned two T20 International caps but did not get to bat in either of the matches.
Ngidi first fooled Kishan with a wonderful, dipping slower yorker, bowling him with the last delivery of the second over.
Gaikwad fell to the penultimate delivery of the match, trying to hit Ngidi down the ground but the lack of pace meant he only made contact with the bottom of the bat, spooning a catch to Dwaine Pretorius at deep mid-on.
Ngidi finished with fine figures of two for six in 1.3 overs.
With the T20 World Cup set to start in Australia in October, at the moment the Proteas only have five more T20s scheduled before then – a trio of matches in England in July and then two games versus Ireland in August.