The fourth day of the ongoing 1st Test between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru ended prematurely due to bad light followed by heavy rain. Just four balls into New Zealand's pursuit of 107 runs, the on-field umpires stopped play due to poor light conditions, which was soon followed by rain, leading to an early end to the day's play.
New Zealand's captain, Tom Latham, managed to survive four deliveries from Jasprit Bumrah, including an lbw appeal, with the team at 0/0. Despite having a full day left to chase the target on Sunday, the weather forecast predicts an 80 percent chance of rain, which could impact the outcome of the match.
Here's the hourly weather forecast for Day 5:
9 AM: 22°C (15% chance of rain), Cloudy
10 AM: 24°C (16% chance of rain), Cloudy
11 AM: 25°C (19% chance of rain), Thunderstorms
12 PM: 26°C (52% chance of rain), Thunderstorms
1 PM: 26°C (49% chance of rain), Cloudy
2 PM: 27°C (77% chance of rain), Cloudy
3 PM: 27°C(75% chance of rain), Cloudy
4 PM: 26°C (85% chance of rain), Cloudy
If rain continues to disrupt play on Day 5, the match will likely end in a draw, which would be disappointing for New Zealand as they had a chance to secure a victory. However, for India, a draw wouldn't be a bad result, especially considering their poor performance in the first innings where they were bowled out for just 46 runs.
New Zealand enters the series following a disappointing 2-0 whitewash defeat to Sri Lanka. The Blackcaps currently sit in sixth place on the rankings, with a win percentage of 37.50 and four losses in their last five matches.
Adding to their challenges, the team faces a daunting task in the Indian subcontinent with a history of struggles. New Zealand has yet to secure a Test series victory against India on their home turf. Furthermore, they have not won a single Test match in India since 1988.
Both teams will be eager to give their best on Day 5 to try and force a result, but the weather conditions may have the final say in determining the outcome of the match.
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