Persistent rain forced the abandonment of the third One-Day International between New Zealand and India at Seddon Park, with no play possible after India won the toss and elected to bowl.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the call-off in an official update from Hamilton, stating that the match could not go ahead due to the weather. Umpires assessed the conditions over several hours, but continuous rain and a cut-off time around 8 pm local left insufficient opportunity for the groundstaff to prepare the surface. The match had earlier been reduced to 40 overs per side before further interruptions sealed its fate. Handshakes between the teams followed the official decision.
This is the third consecutive rain-affected match in the series. India entered the Hamilton fixture with a 2-0 lead after winning the opening two ODIs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. In the first ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, on November 4, India chased down a revised target of 143 in 32 overs to win by five wickets. In the second ODI at Wellington on November 7, New Zealand were bowled out for 134 before India reached 113 for 7 in 26 overs—four runs ahead of the par score—when rain ended the contest, securing a four-run victory.
With the Hamilton game washed out, India retain their 2-0 advantage in the five-match series and cannot lose the series. New Zealand can at best level it 2-2. The remaining two ODIs are scheduled for Bay Oval in Tauranga (Mount Maunganui) on November 13 and November 15, where forecasts currently appear more favourable.
The abandonment continues a pattern of weather disruption that has marked India’s tour of New Zealand, with both completed ODIs also decided under the DLS method. The teams will now shift focus to the final two matches as India look to seal the series while New Zealand seek to keep the contest alive.
