T20 World Cup: India's second warm-up match against New Zealand abandoned due to rain

Brisbane, Oct 19 (IANS) India's second warm-up match against New Zealand in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at The Gabba on Wednesday has been abandoned due to persistent rain.

Earlier, the start of the warm-up match had been delayed due to rain. "It's raining here at The Gabba currently. Cut off time for a 5-over-a-side game is 8.46 PM (4.16 PM IST)," tweeted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Earlier in the day, rain had washed out the practice match between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the same venue. With heavy rain still hampering the start of play between India and New Zealand, the officials, including umpire Paul Reiffel, reckoned that the weather wouldn't clear up quickly, thus paving the way for the match to be abandoned.

India had defeated defending champions Australia by six runs in their first warm-up match at The Gabba on Monday. Fifties from KL Rahul (57) and Suryakumar Yadav (50) helped India post a challenging 186/7 in their 20 overs.

In reply, Australia needed 16 runs off the last two overs. But Harshal Patel conceded only five runs in a superb 19th over and picked up the wicket of captain Aaron Finch, who top-scored with a 54-ball 76, apart from a brilliant run-out of Tim David by Virat Kohli's direct hit.

Mohammed Shami was then a surprise pick to bowl the final over after having not bowled in the entire match and made his mark by having Pat Cummins caught at long-on, thanks to a phenomenal one-handed catch by Kohli at long-on.

Shami then nailed his last two yorkers right and knocked over Josh Inglis and Kane Richardson to seal a narrow win for India in the final over where four wickets fell, including that of Ashton Agar in a run-out.

India, the inaugural T20 World Cup winners in 2007, are in Group 2 of Super 12 stage in the 2022 T20 World Cup, alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and two qualifying sides from the first round of the tournament.

After facing off against arch-rivals Pakistan at the MCG on October 23, India will play their Super 12 matches on October 27 (against first qualifier side from Round One at SCG), October 30 (against South Africa at Perth Stadium), November 2 (against Bangladesh at Adelaide Oval) and November 6 (against second qualifier side from Round One at MCG).