Pallekele rain blanks out first T20

Wednesday, 20 November 2013 10:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

ESPNCricinfo: Even Pallekele wasn’t spared the wet weather as persistent rain abandoned the opening T20 without a ball bowled.

The heavy downpour in the evening meant that the toss was itself a non-starter. The match was called off nearly an hour and 45 minutes after the scheduled 7 p.m. start. All four matches on the tour so far, in three different venues, have been affected by rain. The first ODI in Hambantota was abandoned shortly after New Zealand began their chase of 289. The second and third matches, at Hambantota and Dambulla respectively, were shortened affairs with the Duckworth-Lewis method adjudicating in both. Rain was expected in Pallekele as well and as a result, the T20 series will be reduced to a one-off shootout at the same venue on Thursday, if the weather allows. Pic by Shantha Ratnayake