India, South Africa share series 2-2 after 5th T20I called off due to rain

The 5-match T20I series was set up perfectly for a finale in Bengaluru on Sunday but rain played spoilsport as the two teams shared the trophy after it ended at 2-2. The fifth and final T20I was called off at 9:40 pm IST after just 3.3 overs of play was possible.

Even as cricket fans at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium waited with patience in the stands, steady drizzle made it impossible for the match to resume on Sunday. The 5th T20I was interrupted by rain twice as the start of play was delayed by 50 minutes after a spell of shower after South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl.

3.3 overs were bowled with Lungi Ngidi getting rid of the two India openers, Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad, early after Keshav Maharaj, who stood in for an injured Temba Bavuma, opted to bowl. India's stand-in captain Rishabh Pant had lost the toss in all five matches and he would have been disappointed with a no result in the final T20I, especially after coming back from 0-2 behind in his first stint as India captain.

India got off a blazing start



with Ishan Kishan hitting 2 big sixes in the first over of the match bowled by left-arm spinner Maharaj. However, Lungi Ngidi got the big wicket of the in-form opener for 15 (7 balls) with a slower delivery to uproot the stumps.

Ngidi returned in his second over to remove Ruturaj Gaikwad who managed just 10 off 12 balls with another slower delivery.

Captain Rishabh Pant had joined Shreyas Iyer in the middle when rain interrupted play before the match was called off.

India went down 0-2 after losing the first and the second T20Is in New Delhi and Cuttack. However, Pant's men bounced back, winning comfortably in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot in the next 2 matches.

India will next face Ireland under Hardik Pandya's captaincy in a 2-match T20I series on June 26 and 28. Meanwhile, the Test team will play England in a one-off Test, which is a spillover from last year's incomplete Test series, from July 1. Rohit Sharma will lead the Test team in the one-off Test before which Team India will play Leicestershire from June 24.