India vs Prime Minister's XI warm-up match delayed after persistent rain plays the villain in Canberra

The start of the two-day warm-up match between India and the Prime Minister's XI, scheduled for Saturday at Manuka Oval in Canberra, has been delayed due to persistent rain in the area.

The day-night fixture, initially planned to help Team India prepare for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, will now begin later than expected.

The rain around Canberra has unfortunately pushed back the scheduled toss for the match. Cricket fans were eagerly awaiting the showdown, which was set to feature India’s preparations ahead of their prestigious series against Australia.


The official social media handle of cricket.com.au confirmed the delay.

“A bit of rain around in Canberra today unfortunately, which means the start of the Prime Minister's XI v India two-day day-night match has been delayed. Stay tuned for updates," announced the Australian team on social media.

India, fresh off a remarkable 295-run victory over Australia in Perth, had hoped the warm-up match would offer valuable practice ahead of the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

IN vs AUS: India's stunning comeback

In the recent Test series against Australia, India made a stunning recovery after being bowled out for just 150 runs in their first innings, ultimately defeating the hosts despite initial setbacks.

In that series, India’s strong performance was anchored by some remarkable individual efforts. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rishabh Pant had provided crucial contributions in the first innings, while Jasprit Bumrah’s stunning 5/30 led India’s dominant bowling attack.

The team’s second innings saw a massive total of 487/6 declared, thanks to a brilliant 161-run knock from Yashasvi Jaiswal and a composed century by Virat Kohli, which set Australia a daunting target of 534 runs.

Despite spirited resistance from Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh in Australia’s second innings, India sealed a commanding 295-run victory, with Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj leading the way with the ball.

The Prime Minister's XI squad for the warm-up match features a blend of experienced players and emerging talent. Captain Jack Edwards will be leading the side, with Matt Renshaw, Jack Clayton, and Mitchell Marsh among the notable names in the line-up.

On the Indian side, Rohit Sharma will captain the team, which includes star players such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja.

As both teams await the rescheduled start, the warm-up match remains an important opportunity for India to fine-tune their skills and strategies ahead of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

(With inputs from ANI)