The fifth and final T20I match between India and the West Indies in Bengaluru was officially abandoned due to persistent heavy rain, bringing a premature end to a thrilling series. With the decider washed out, the five-match series concluded in a 2–2 draw, resulting in the trophy being shared between the two teams.
Rain Disrupts the Decider
The start of the match was severely impacted by weather, with the toss delayed by two and a half hours due to rain. Once conditions cleared, the contest was shortened to a 9-overs-per-side affair, and the West Indies won the toss, opting to field first.
India made the most of their brief batting opportunity, blazing away to 118 for 5 in just 7.8 overs (7.4 official deliveries). Destructive cameos at the top and middle order put the hosts in a commanding position before the skies opened up once more.
Explosive Batting Show Before the Rain Interrupted
Despite the shortened format, Indian batters showcased aggressive strokeplay:
- Ishan Kishan: Played a blistering knock of 30 runs off just 10 balls.
- Sanju Samson: Contributed 16 runs from 9 deliveries.
- Shreyas Iyer: Chipped in with a quickfire 22 runs off 14 balls.
- Naman Dhir: Provided late fireworks, remaining unbeaten on 24 runs off just 6 balls.
Following the second rain interruption, Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) calculations initially set the West Indies a revised target of 84 runs in 5 overs. However, with the rain refusing to relent or slow down, the match officials had no choice but to call off the game entirely.
How the Series Unfolded
The tightly contested five-match series saw momentum swing back and forth across different venues:
- 1st T20I (Lucknow): India defeated the West Indies by 8 wickets.
- 2nd T20I (Ranchi): West Indies bounced back to win by 6 wickets.
- 3rd T20I (Indore): India secured a victory to take a 2–1 lead in the series.
- 4th T20I (Hyderabad): West Indies leveled the series 2–2 with a 24-run win.
- 5th T20I (Bengaluru): Abandoned due to rain, ending the series in a 2–2 draw with the trophy shared equally.