The toss for the fifth and final T20I between India and England at The Rose Bowl faced a delay as the Indian team bus got stuck in a massive traffic jam. Live visuals confirmed the team’s arrival at 2:06 pm local time, leading to a delay of at least 30 minutes in the toss.
Severe traffic congestion in Hampshire caused significant delays, affecting commute times to the stadium. Reports indicated that even short-distance travel turned into major bottlenecks, with a public bus taking nearly an hour to cover less than four miles to reach the venue gates.
The unexpected delay has added a new dimension to the dead-rubber final match of the T20I series, which England has already clinched with a 3-0 lead. A victory for England would secure a 4-0 clean sweep and propel them to the top of the ICC Men’s T20I team rankings, displacing India.
The Indian team, led by Shreyas Iyer, aims to salvage pride in the final T20I before the upcoming three-match ODI series starting on July 14 in Birmingham. Meanwhile, key players like Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, and Gurnoor Brar are practicing at Edgbaston.
