Rain pushed back the toss and the start of the first ODI between India and Afghanistan in Dharamshala on Saturday, delaying the opening of a series both teams have waited years to play. The match is the first bilateral one-day international series between the countries.
That makes the fixture more than a routine series opener. India and Afghanistan have only met in the one-day format at World Cups and Asia Cups, with India winning three of the four previous matches and the other ending in a tie.
Form adds another layer to the contest
India arrived after losing three of its past five ODIs, while Afghanistan came in with four straight wins. The contrast gives the series an added edge even before the first ball is bowled, especially after India beat Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs in a one-off Test last week.
www.wral.com reported that the rain interruption affected the toss as well as the start time, leaving the teams waiting for conditions to improve. The delayed opening only adds to the anticipation around a series that is new in bilateral ODI cricket.
What comes next in the series
The second ODI is scheduled for Wednesday in Lucknow, followed by the third match on June 20 in Chennai. Those games will decide the rest of the first bilateral ODI series between India and Afghanistan, which began with weather standing in the way.
