Bengaluru, October 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Persistent rain delayed the toss in the fifth and final T20I between India and the West Indies at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, raising concerns about a possible washout in the series decider.
The covers remained firmly in place as the scheduled toss time of 6:30 pm approached, with match officials subsequently confirming the delay. The drizzle intensified shortly afterwards, threatening to disrupt the contest at a venue hosting its first international match in more than a year.
“The toss has been delayed for the fifth and final T20I between the West Indies and India in Bengaluru due to rain,” Cricket West Indies (CWI) said in an update.
Both teams had arrived at the stadium as scheduled but were unable to begin their warm-ups, remaining in their respective dressing rooms as the rain continued.
The stands were around half full, with the stadium DJ entertaining spectators as they waited for an update. Bengaluru has experienced showers over the past several days following the onset of the northeast monsoon, with more rain forecast for the night.
However, the stadium’s SubAir drainage system offered hope of a relatively quick resumption if the weather improved. The system had helped facilitate play during the India-New Zealand Test in October 2024 after rain threatened to disrupt proceedings.
The match marks Bengaluru’s return to the international cricket calendar following a lengthy hiatus. The venue had been sidelined since the deadly stampede in June 2025 during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations, which claimed 11 lives.
With the five-match series level at 2-2, both sides have plenty at stake. India, the reigning men’s T20 World Cup champions, will be keen to avoid another bilateral series defeat against the West Indies after losing 2-3 during their away tour in August 2023.
West Indies captain Shai Hope has led the visitors’ batting effort, topping the series run charts with 261 runs, including two centuries in matches won by his team.
India, meanwhile, have relied on contributions from several batters, although their performances have fluctuated over the first four matches.
If the weather clears, another high-scoring contest could be in store, given the batting-friendly conditions seen during the series. For now, spectators and players remain dependent on the weather, while ground staff stand ready to remove the covers should conditions permit play to resume.
With the series finely poised, fans will be hoping the rain relents and allows Bengaluru to witness a fitting conclusion to the closely contested contest.
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