Navi Mumbai, Nov 2 (IANS) A heavy downpour began about 15 minutes before the rescheduled toss time for the Women’s ODI World Cup final between India and South Africa at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, further delaying the start of the match.
The rain started around 2:40 PM, and the ground staff brought out the covers, making it impossible to conduct the toss at 3:00 PM as announced. The stadium is shrouded by dark clouds, and the visibility is quite low.
The first spurt of rain had started around noon, and it has been going on and off since then. The ground staff was forced to bring out the covers, and the rain ensured that players stayed put inside the dugout and did not come out for their pre-match warm-up routines.
However, things brightened around 2:30 PM, before the original scheduled time for the toss, as the rain stopped and the sun came out briefly. A big cheer went off as the ground staff started removing the covers for an inspection by the umpires, as there are areas beyond the circle that have puddles that can be spotted from afar.
But the downpour started again, and this time it was stronger than the previous spell. As of now, there will be no impact on the number of overs, and the reduction will start only after a two-hour delay, unlike the ground stage matches, which started after one hour.
However, the rain, which started on and off from early morning in Navi Mumbai and the adjacent Thane and Mumbai districts, seems to have little impact on the enthusiasm of the spectators, as huge crowds have gathered outside the stadium for the final.
The Indian women’s team is playing the World Cup final for the first time at home, and the excitement was palpable. Their majestic performance against the dethroned champions, Australia, in the semifinal has further fuelled interest in the match, and there was a huge surge in demand for tickets.
The rain has not dampened the enthusiasm and spirit of the people, and the stadium is expected to break all previous records for attendance.
Both India and South Africa are going for a historic title triumph, having never won the title previously. India have a slight edge, having played in the final twice (2005 and 2017), and will also be boosted by the support of the huge crowd. They have already played three matches at this venue, while South Africa are in Navi Mumbai for the first time this World Cup.
However, India have lost to South Africa thrice in the World Cup so far, including the group stage encounter in this edition in Visakhapatnam.
The good thing for the fans is that the match does have a reserve day, and the match will be continued from where it was halted. However, the ICC will make all efforts to get it completed on Sunday itself — even if it is a shortened game.
–IANS
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