The toss for the fifth T20I between England and India in Southampton was delayed by 45 minutes after the Indian team's bus got stuck in heavy traffic. The bizarre incident triggered hilarious reactions online, with fans comparing Southampton's congestion to Bengaluru's.
The toss for the fifth and final T20I of the series between England and India was delayed at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday, July 11. England have already clinched the five-match series, taking an unassailable 3-0 lead following a dominant nine-wicket win over the Men in Blue in Bristol.
After the series opener was washed out due to rain, despite India posting a respectable total of 189/7 at Riverside Ground in Chester-Le-Street, England won the next three matches at Manchester’s Old Trafford, Trent Bridge in Nottingham, and Bristol’s County Ground, clinching a series win with a match to spare.
Team India, on the other hand, struggled to live up to the expectations as reigning T20 World Cup champions, as they, under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, failed to find a consistent rhythm throughout the series, with both their batting lineup and bowling attack faltering against a clinical English side.
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The Toss Delayed Due to India’s Late Arrival at the Venue
As the fifth T20I serves as a dead rubber, India is playing solely for pride, aiming to salvage a victory after having already conceded the five-match series to England. However, the toss for the series finale was delayed by 45 minutes from its scheduled time of 6:30 PM IST. According to UK time, the toss was scheduled to take place at 2:00 PM and the match at 2:30 PM.
The key reason behind the toss delay was the late arrival of the India squad at the Rose Bowl, the venue for the fifth T20I in Southampton. The Men in Blue’s team bus was caught in heavy traffic while travelling to the stadium. Despite no rain and clear skies, the team's late arrival meant pre-match proceedings had to be pushed back.
The distance between Ocean Village, where the India squad was staying, and the Utilita Bowl (formerly known as the Rose Bowl) in Southampton is approximately 6 miles. The journey to the stadium typically takes around 15 to 30 minutes by road, depending on traffic conditions.
Therefore, the heavy congestion on the route, especially during the afternoon hours when traffic volume typically peaks, significantly delayed the Indian team's journey to the venue. The toss, which was originally scheduled at 6:30 PM IST (2:00 PM local time), was consequently postponed by 45 minutes to 7:15 PM IST (2:45 PM local time) to allow the players sufficient time to warm up.
The match itself, originally slated for a 7:00 PM IST (2:30 PM local time) start, was rescheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST. Team India’s late arrival at the venue led to the match being delayed by an hour.
Southampton or Bengaluru? Fans Poke Fun at Traffic-Induced Delay
Team India’s late arrival at the venue for the fifth T20I against England due to heavy traffic in the city has sparked hilarious reactions from fans and cricket enthusiasts on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with many drawing parallels to the notorious traffic jams in Bengaluru.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts reacted with disbelief and humour over the unusual toss delay, with many saying it was the first time they had witnessed a pre-match toss being postponed due to traffic. Several compared Southampton’s congestion to Bengaluru’s notorious traffic.
However, others joked that Team India was made to ‘feel at home’ despite playing in England, while several turned the bizarre delay into a meme fest, calling it one of the strangest reasons they had ever seen for a toss to be postponed.
Meanwhile, Team India skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bowl first against England. The Men in Blue made two changes in their playing XI, replacing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Washington Sundar with Sanju Samson and Suryansh Shedge, respectively,
The visitors will look to salvage their pride in the series finale following a disappointing campaign, aiming to end the tour on a positive note after England sealed the five-match T20I series with a game to spare.
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