CRICKET-LEAD Heavy rain results in an anticlimactic end to thrilling series.

BENGALURU, India, CMC – The high-scoring, blockbuster T20I series between India and West Indies came to a disappointing end on Saturday with the fifth and final match ending in a no result.

Heavy showers delayed the start of the match by over two overs, and when the covers were finally removed, the contest was reduced to nine overs per side.

India’s batters capitalized on a strong start to reach 118 for five in 7.4 overs, but another series of persistent showers sent the players and umpires off the ground.

The rain continued past the cutoff time, and the match was eventually called off.

It left the five-match series tied at 2-2 and robbed the thousands of spectators who packed into the M Chinnaswamy Stadium of what was shaping up to be an exciting finale.

After winning the toss and sending the home side in to bat, Keemo Paul’s first over leaked 14 runs, but Shamar Joseph also caught Abhishek Sharma at midwicket.

Ishan Kishan greeted Romario Shepherd with a huge six over backward square to start the second over, before adding another maximum and two fours for good measure.

But after racing to 30 off just 10 balls, he miscued a pull off pacer Shamar Joseph and was caught at mid-on to leave the score 45 for two in the third over.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer wasn’t at his best in his knock of 22 off 14 balls, but Naman Dhir’s unbeaten 24 off six balls with three sixes and a four kept India’s run rate above 15 runs an over.

When Shamar Springer got Tilak Varma to drag a wide yorker onto his stumps, it proved to be the last ball of the match, with the slight drizzle turning into a downpour.

Springer ended with 2-17, and Paul took 2-34.