Kolkata T20 called off due to wet outfield; SA win series 2-0

The third and final T20 International between India and South Africa on Thursday was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of a wet outfield, allowing the visitors to clinch the three-match series by a 2-0 margin.

The abandonment of the game after a passing evening shower once again highlighted the poor drainage system at the iconic Eden Gardens.

The umpires called off the match post their inspection at 2130 IST much to the dismay of the few thousands who had come to the ground in expectation of an exciting encounter.

The failure to start the match despite the groundstaff working on it, and three super-soppers being used, for nearly seven hours also portrayed the Cricket Association of Bengal in poor light .

Veteran curator Prabir Mukherjee's role is also under the scanner, as the outfield was not covered despite forecast of a passing shower and knowledge of the stadium's dubious record in times of rain interruptions.

As it turned out, after three rounds of inspection at an hour's interval, beginning 7.30 pm, it was about delaying the inevitable -- another abandonment with little or no rain.

It was also an ominous start to the new Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) management, under president-designate Sourav Ganguly, after the demise of Jagmohan Dalmiya on September 20. Their inefficiency will be up for serious scrutiny as the hallowed venue is slated to host the final of the World Twenty20 next year.

Surprising, only the match strip and the two practice pitches on both the sides of the dressing room were covered during the spell of rain despite the fact that the Eden Gardens has the option of covering the entire outfield.

Minutes after the rain subsided in the afternoon, former India captain, now CAB supremo, Ganguly was seen taking stock of the condition of the ground with his denims rolled up.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said: "Once there was a heavy shower, although for an hour, I knew that it would be difficult to start the game."

As for the players, most of them from both the camps stayed away apparently suggesting their unwillingness to turn out in the third T20I which had become a dead rubber after South Africa's back-to-back wins in Dharmasala and Cuttack.

With the five-match ODI beginning October 11 in Kanpur, the players were obviously apprehensive about picking up an injury on the slippery outfield.