The first T20I of the three-match T20I series between India and Sri Lanka was called off without a ball being bowled due to damp pitch after rain on Sunday in Guwahati. It was supposed to be the first match for both the teams of this year and the decade.
The toss took place at the decided time, where Indian skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and opt to bowl against Sri Lanka, but soon after it, the rain started in Guwahati. After about one and a half-hour of rain, the damp patches on the pitch forced the match into a no-result contest.
The rain delay didn't take away the energy from the crowd at the Barsapara stadium as they started singing 'Vande Mataram', which can give goosebumps to any Indian.
The BCCI later posted the video on Twitter, where fans were singing the chorus of Vande Matram and skipper Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant entering the ground to check the condition of the pitch. BCCI wrote: "Guwahati, you beauty."
Earlier, on a track which is expected to help spinners and make batting difficult, India -- sans Rohit Sharma who is rested -- left out Ravindra Jadeja as Kohli said they wanted to play Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav as the Sri Lankans have more left-handers in the side.
The cut off for a five-over shootout was 09.46 PM but the outfield could not be prepared in time.
The groundsmen even used vacuum drier to remove the damp patches on the pitch, but it did not help much. The second match of the three-match series will be played on Tuesday in Indore while the final game is scheduled to be held in Pune on January 10.
