Cricket-Traffic jam delay adds to India's woes ahead of 56-run T20 loss to England


Cricket - Fifth T20 International - England v India - Utilita Bowl, Southampton, Britain - July 11, 2026 India's Shreyas Iyer runs between the wickets after playing a shot Action Images via Reuters/Cat Goryn

July 11 (Reuters) - India's challenging ⁠U.K. tour threw up another obstacle on Saturday when ⁠a traffic jam delayed their arrival at Southampton for the ‌fifth and final Twenty20 International against England, which the hosts won by 56 runs to clinch a 4-0 series win.

Shreyas Iyer's side reached the ground five ​minutes after the scheduled toss time, forcing ⁠officials to delay the start ⁠to allow India warm-up time. Play started 30 minutes late.

The delay ⁠was ‌the latest hiccup in a trip that has produced little joy for the T20 world champions who arrived ⁠in England after suffering their first-ever T20 defeat and ​first-ever T20 series ‌loss to Ireland in a 2-0 sweep in Belfast.

They ⁠have since failed ​to win a game against England and lost 4-0 in the five-match T20 series after the opener ended in a no result due ⁠to rain.

"I personally feel that we've seen ​almost everything in this series and also the one which we played before," Iyer said. "So, another challenge, another day altogether."

England, meanwhile, did not ⁠seem much affected by the delay with opener Jos Buttler smashing 131 in 64 balls, and captain Harry Brook scoring an unbeaten 95 off 45 deliveries as the hosts posted a mammoth ​target of 257-3.

In reply, India could post ⁠only 201-8, despite fighting half-centuries from Ishan Kishan (56) and Tilak Varma (53), ​as Sam Curran led the hosts' bowling ‌attack with three wickets.

England will also ​play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against India starting on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Cricket

Cricket-Zimbabwe confirm future captains across all formats
Cricket-England and India ready for ground-breaking first women's test at Lord's
Cricket-England's Beaumont to end international career at 35
Cricket-Windies win series against Sri Lanka after North Sound run-fest ends in draw
Cricket-India blown away by England pace
Cricket-Former Afghanistan pace bowler Shapoor Zadran dies aged 38
Cricket-Zimbabwe hold off Bangladesh for 25-run victory
Cricket-England's Sciver-Brunt does not want T20 World Cup to be her last
Cricket-Australia dominate England to win T20 World Cup
Cricket-Pakistan replace Masood with Babar as test captain ahead of West Indies, England series

Others Also Read