England-India T20 Series Opener Washed Out by Rain After India Sets 190-Run Target
The opening match of England's five-game T20 series against India was abandoned on Wednesday due to rain that arrived during the innings break at Chester-le-Street. India had completed their batting first, establishing a target of 190 runs for England to chase, but persistent rainfall prevented play from resuming in time for the second innings, forcing match officials to call off proceedings.
The abandonment proved frustrating for both teams, as England sought to reverse a difficult start to their summer schedule, while India was denied the chance to test their competitive setup early in the series. With four matches remaining in the encounter, both squads will look to make up ground in subsequent fixtures, though the weather disruption marks an unwelcome start to what was intended to be a closely contested bilateral competition.
- First of five T20 matches abandoned; rain fell during innings break after India's batting
- India posted 190 runs before weather halted England's chase attempt
- Frustration for both teams, compounding England's challenging summer period
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Twenty20, or T20, is the shortest main format of international cricket. Each team has up to 20 sets of six balls to score runs, making matches faster and often higher-scoring than other forms of the game.
England and India are two of cricket’s leading international sides, and a five-match series gives both teams several chances to compare their players and tactics. Chester-le-Street is a cricket ground in north-east England that regularly hosts international matches.
A target is the number of runs the team batting second needs to score to win. Rain can interrupt cricket because a wet pitch or outfield can make play unsafe, and a match may be abandoned if there is not enough time to complete it.
Coverage
- BBC Sport — England and India frustrated by rain as first T20 abandoned
- BBC Sport — First England-India T20 abandoned because of rain