India-West Indies first T20 in Lucknow on Tuesday under threat of rain
The first of five T20s between India and West Indies is due at Lucknow's Ekana stadium at 7 pm on October 6, with clouds and showers forecast.
India and West Indies, who have just finished a one-day series, will now face each other in a T20 series. The West Indies team is currently touring India. India won the ODI series 2-1, though they lost the final match.
A five-match T20 series begins tomorrow, October 6. The first match will be played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow at 7 pm. The toss will be at 6:30 pm.
However, rain is said to threaten the match. Lucknow is likely to have cloudy skies through the day, and there could be drizzle or showers during the match. If it rains in the evening, the toss and the start of play could be delayed. It has also been said that play may have to be stopped for some time if rain arrives.
The weather in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, has been changing considerably over the past few days. According to the Meteorological Department's estimate, heavy rain is likely in the city until October 10.
According to figures released by the department, the chances of rain in the coming days are: 68 per cent on Tuesday, 70 per cent on Wednesday, 60 per cent on Thursday, 68 per cent on Friday and 55 per cent on Saturday.
As for the pitch, the surface at this stadium appears to suit both batters and bowlers. Even so, it has been slow and has seemed to help spinners more. Fast bowlers, on the other hand, are expected to get help from the new ball in the early overs.
The pitch could slow down further as the match goes on. For this reason, batting first at this stadium could prove the better option. It remains to be seen whether the weather lets the match go ahead tomorrow.
