The third ODI between New Zealand and India was called off due to rain. Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to field as the visitors fielded an unchanged XI before rain came down once again.

Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri spoke to Ian Smith on the sidelines as the fans waited for the game to start.

One of the topics of conversation was the epic 2024 T20 World Cup final in Barbados. Rohit Sharma‘s team won the game by seven runs to end their 11-year wait for an ICC title.

Shastri recalled that the break taken by Rishabh Pant was pivotal and that it changed the momentum. “30 runs to win from 30 balls, and there was a break.

I was in commentary with Ian Smith and felt this might work in India’s favour with Pant taking a break.”

The 64-year-old also added, “Klaasen was going great guns, and David Miller was with him. India took a wicket on the first ball after the break. Things then turned around after that.”

Heinrich Klaasen scored a blistering 52 off just 27 balls before he was dismissed by Hardik Pandya, incidentally caught by Pant.

Ian Smith was on air when Suryakumar Yadav took a brilliant catch of David Miller for 21.

In the end, the Men in Blue held their nerves and became two-time T20 World Cup winners at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Ex- India coach recalls feeling bad for Shaun Pollock

South failed to win the global title. Proteas, who won a big title in 1998, finally ended the long wait in 2025 after they beat Australia in the final of the World Test Championship.

Shastri recalled seeing Shaun Pollock with a heartbroken look on his face after the T20 World Cup final. “When we wrapped up the game and saw Pollock sitting in the back of the comm box. SA were called chokers, and I said, ‘This is the biggest,’ and he felt that this was the biggest example of that. I felt really bad for him, because they had come close on many occasions. Had they beaten India, it would have been easy to accept, but losing the game needing 30 from 30 and wickets in hand has to make one gutted. I’m glad South Africa won the WTC and got the monkey off their back.

If you are on the other side of a loss, it is a tough pill to swallow.”