The third one-day international between India and New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Tuesday, after persistent rain returned every time the covers came off and finally forced the umpires to call the match off.

Source: MyKhel

The abandonment is the final outcome of the rain battle Awaaz Punjab reported earlier on Tuesday, when the toss was pushed back and the match was first cut to 40 overs a side. India captain Shubman Gill did win the delayed toss and chose to bowl with an unchanged team, but the rain came back within minutes, the covers went on again, and play never began.

Source: Inshorts

Earlier coverage of the delayed toss and the 40-over cut is here: Rain Hits Hamilton Again: Third ODI Toss Pushed Back

The washout means India, who lead the five-match series 2-0, can no longer lose it. New Zealand can at best draw the series 2-2 by winning both remaining matches, starting with the fourth ODI scheduled for November 13.

Source: Daily Jagran

Rain has followed this series throughout. India won the opening ODI in Auckland by five wickets in a 32-over contest, and the second match in Wellington was also cut short by weather before India took it by four runs under the DLS method. India's outdoor training session on Monday was also washed indoors by the same system over Hamilton, where forecasters had warned of a heavy rain watch through the day.

MyKhel's live coverage reported that the Hamilton match was also Gill's last as captain in this series, with Shreyas Iyer set to lead India in the final two matches. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had posted through the morning that the rain kept returning in Hamilton as the waiting game continued, before the final call-off was confirmed.