The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That also brings us to the end of our coverage for this encounter. Two big games coming up tomorrow with the Australia Champions slated to square off against the England Champions in the first game before India face Pakistan in the afternoon game. Up until then, this is me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) bidding adieu also on behalf of my fellow commentator and good mate Rajarshi Das. Goodnight! Cheers!
Gurkeerat Singh Mann is the Player of the Match, here is what he had to say: Yeah I think when they were varying the pace, it was stopping a bit. We got a very good start and when I came out, Yuvraj Singh there and he was telling me to build a partnership and that is exactly what we did. I think when I was batting, it helped me a lot when I played ten fifteen balls. I got used to the pace of the wicket and chose my shots according to that. It's a great sight to see players like Uthappa in full flow. I am feeling perfect.
Yuvraj Singh (India champions captain): The back is sore. Hopefully trying my best to get fit for tomorrow. I went out to not aggregate it. It's a big game tomorrow and definitely want to play. When I started hitting sweetly, the back started holding up. Me and Gurkeerat tried a partnership going. When it happened, I decided to leave as I didn't want it go worse.
Floyd Reifer, West Indies Champions Head Coach: Dressing room's feeling pretty good, the rain came in, we need to look forward for the next three games that we play and make the best use of it. These guys haven't been playing too much cricket, playing back-to-back games is a challenge. There's some soreness and stiffness as expected, have a physio on board. Tomorrow's a day off, some time to recover and head into the next game. I'm well, fit and good.
India Champions won by 27 runs (DLS method)
So it's the India Champions who go to the top of the points table after a comfortable 27 run win against the West Indies champions. It was always going to be an uphill task for West Indies to chase down the target of 230 after Gurkeerat Singh's brilliant 86 propelled India to a massive score.
Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh also chipped in with crucial knocks to get them to a score where West Indies needed something special to get anywhere close to the target. The West Indies champions needed a blistering start from Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle.
Smith started with a couple of boundaries before Chris Gayle struck three exquisite cover drives of Harbhajan Singh to announce his arrival. Smith was eventually dismissed by Dhawal Kulkarni and we also saw a lull in the run flow. When rain started pouring in, it was always going to be tough for West Indies. The match couldn't be completed once the rains got heavy.
9:10 P.M. Local Time, 1:40 A.M. IST: That is that - the game has been called off, and India Champions have been declared winners by 27 runs as per DLS method.
01:00 AM IST, 8:30 PM local time: The covers still remain firmly in place. There is nothing new to report from the ground. We haven't got any news on the resumption if and when. We will keep you posted as and when we get one.
12:29 A.M. IST, 7:59 P.M. Local Time: The rain seems to have stopped, but the covers are firmly in place. The umpires came out for an inspection a while back - the ground-staff were busy sweeping the water off the covers - there was a thick pool of water on top of them.
11:45 PM IST, 7:15 PM local time: By the live pictures, the rain seems to have gotten heavier and the covers are firmly in place. This could be a longish delay.
The rain has gotten heavier and the umpires have called for the covers. Hopefully this is just a passing shower but if the game stops now, the India Champions will win comfortably.
5.3 Rahul Shukla to Chadwick Walton, on a good length closer to off stump, Walton gets on top of it and blocks
5.2 Rahul Shukla to Chadwick Walton, on a good length outside off, Walton looks to cut, ends up chopping it onto himself
5.1 Rahul Shukla to Chadwick Walton, back of a length wide of off, bit of extra lift off the deck. Walton looks to cut, is beaten by the extra bounce
Rahul Shukla, right arm fast medium comes into the attack. He replaces Robin Uthappa as the impact sub.
That's a superb start from Dhawal Kulkarni and as I speak the rain seems to be intensifying in Birmingham. Five overs are done and we will have a result. Kulkarni bagging the important wicket of Dwayne Smith in that over has pegged West Indies further. So far, India Champions has been well ahead in the game.
5
overs
31/1score
0
W
0
1
0
0
runs
Chris Gayle*
14(17)
Chadwick Walton
1(2)
Dhawal Kulkarni
1/1
4.6 Dhawal Kulkarni to Chris Gayle, slower ball to end the over! On a length around off, this one spins away from Gayle as he tries pushing at it
4.5 Dhawal Kulkarni to Chris Gayle, hard length around middle and leg, Gayle, cramped for room, pushes it back at the bowler
4.4 Dhawal Kulkarni to Chadwick Walton, on a good length around off, Walton tries to pull, scuffs it towards mid wicket
4.3 Dhawal Kulkarni to Chadwick Walton, top-class from the man at point! Back of a length outside off, Walton gets on top of it, cuts, can't beat the man at point, who dives to his right and stops it