Ind-Australia Twenty20 Match: Practice Session Called Off

Ranchi: India's practice session on the eve of their first Twenty20 match against Australia was called off due to intermittent showers.

The JSCA International Stadium Complex ground has been under covers because of continuous rains since Thursday. The Indian players arrived in the city last evening following a short break after the five-match ODI series, which the hosts won 4-1, but they were denied practice because of a downpour.

"We came here and it started raining. We have not planned anything as of now. Once we practice, we will have an idea (about the conditions)," India pacer Jasprit Bumrah said at the match-eve news conference. "The rain is not in our hands. We think of what we can do. We will try to give our best effort," he added. According to the local Meteorological Centre, a cyclonic circulation is persisting over the northwest Bay of Bengal, which is capable of causing heavy rainfall here for at least two days.

"There's chance of a light to moderate rainfall towards the evening. The upper air cyclonic circulation is going to persist for 2-3 days," R S Sharma, weather scientist at the Met Centre said. All the tickets are sold out and a minimum of five-over- a-side is needed for a Twenty20 match to take place.

The last T20 International was held here in February 2016 when India defeated Sri Lanka by 69 runs.