IND vs NZ Live Score, 3rd T20I: Match abandoned with the teams level on DLS; India win series 1-0

India vs New Zealand Live Cricket Score Updates for 3rd T20I: Even the most optimistic of fans would not have expected the match to get underway after the showers came back a second time. The match has now officially been called off, of course. India were level with New Zealand on DLS, which means that the game itself ends in a tie. As a result, India take the series 1-0 and go into the ODI series with some momentum in their bag. Get the IND vs NZ Live Score for the 3rd T20I at Sportskeeda.

With that, we come to the end of the coverage from the live blog for this 3rd T20I. That's that from me, Habil Ahmed. I hope you've enjoyed our coverage just as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you. See you when the ODIs begin. Take care!

Shame, that. The match was shaping up for quite the finish. But that's that in the end. Ends in a tie, but India win the series 1-0. India sent Finn Allen back into the hut early on and would have been happy with that wicket. But Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway brought the Kiwis back into the game with a massive partnership.

It was the collapse that came next, of course. Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh were the wreckers-in-chief, picking up four wickets apiece. A lot of it was down to the Kiwi capitulation as well, of course.

The game moved onto the chase but the idea of the collapse stayed strong with India losing 3 wickets in the first 3 overs. Hardik Pandya counterattacked in Suryakumar Yadav’s company, and that, in the end saw India end up level with the Kiwis on the DLS scores. Par, they say.

In the end, the game was called off as a tie, and India won the series 1-0. We move on to the ODIs from here, and we hope that we get full, uninterrupted games in that format at least.

Hardik Pandya (Indian captain) will be going back home after this:

"We would have liked to win this game by playing the full overs but it is what it is. We don't mind getting the trophy. At some point, I felt that offense is the best defense on this wicket. It had something for the fast bowlers and we know they have the pace and skill in their bowling attack, so it was very important that we go ahead in the Powerplay and get those 10-15 runs extra even though we lost wickets. It was all about seeing the ball and playing it. A game like this could have given us an opportunity to test all the guys that were left to come. You don't get this kind of situation when your top 4 are out cheaply and you have to bat till the end. It's the weather and we can't control that. (Excited for the ODIs?) Yes, to watch, because I'm going home to relax and take my time off to be with my son."

Tim Southee (NZ captain) had the following to say:

"Tim Southee (New Zealand Captain): Disappointing end with the bat but we spoke about getting out there and giving everything we could. We knew if we took early wickets anything could happen. But unfortunately the weather came in again. You don't know until both sides have batted on it but the way we finished, we certainly left some out there. But the way we started with the ball, it would have been an interesting game had it gone on. (On the DLS score) A little bit of uncertainty around the scoreboard and whether it was a tie. So a little bit of confusion. (On the Santner misfield) They happen late in the game like this and you look back on it. There are a lot of things that could have happened and you always look back on close games. It could have gone either way. It's been a heavy appetite of T20 cricket so it'll be nice to get back to one-day cricket against a quality side like India. Hopefully we get a good crowd in as well."

Suryakumar Yadav has been named the Player of the Series. This is what he said:

"Really happy with the way things went. Would have loved to have had a full game but it's not in our control. Really happy with the way things went in the field. (Asked about pressure) The pressure is always there but there's no fun in batting when there's no pressure. I'm just carrying forward the same thing from the last few years and enjoying my batting. Not carrying any baggage forward. I can take a bit of time over there (in ODIs) but the intent and the approach will remain the same. We can just go out and express ourselves and see how we are going to play. Would have loved a full game but it's fine."

Mohammad Siraj has been named the Player of the Match for his match-winning 4/17. He had the following to say:

"It's not an easy wicket to bat on and the hard length came with a bit of bounce. So I preferred to bowl the hard lengths. I was a standby at the World Cup so I prepared to bowl the hard length in T20s. I came with a lot of practice and executed my plans. My plan is simple - try to bowl hard lengths. The weather is not in our hands. The weather played a role in the three matches but it happens. I am just happy that we won the series"

The match has been called off and the umpires have informed the players of the same. Handshakes all around as the game is tied and India take the T20I series 1-0.

Shreyas Iyer didn’t have a memorable outing today either. And Twitter being the harshest critic one could find in cricket has seen the criticism come pouring down a lot harder than the rain.

"Shreyas Iyer and short ball story still continues" - Twitter fumes after the right-handed batter goes for a golden duck in the third T20I

Update: The umpires are out for an outfield check. Doesn't look good although it has stopped raining.

Update: Nothing good to tell you folks, to be honest. Gaurav Kapoor says that if the rain does continue for another 20 minutes, the umpires can call the game and abandon it. Not looking good right now.

Pouring, flowing, pelting, you can use all the verbs possible to describe the rain. It seems to be doing all of that and some more right now. We will give you any updates as and when we have any.

Some bad news for all of us. The rain is continuing to pelt down. The situation is bleak. Gaurav Kapoor adds that it is unlikely that we will have any action here.

Okay then, looks like the only place they're going is off the field for now. 75/4 in 9 overs as mentioned in the previous comment. Covers are coming on with India equal to the par score in this game. That counterattack from Pandya has placed India in a better position than you'd have expected them to be in this very situation.

India remain on par with the DLS score needed at this point. 75/4 in 9 overs. The batters out there can't afford to get too complacent, of course. They need to keep going along.

Commentators, on air, note that India are on par with the DLS score after 7.3 overs. The rain is starting to come down in Napier now. The game is going on for now though.

Santner and Sodhi both into the attack now. Southee looking to literally spin a web around the Indian batting lineup, it would seem.

Suryakumar Yadav departs! SKY looks to attack Sodhi but only finds Superman Glenn Phillips with a gift of a catch down at midwicket. This is starting to look really bleak for the visitors.

An extremely eventful powerplay comes to an end. Not really sure who'd be the happier of the two teams after those six overs. If the game were to stop here though, I think India would be happier given that they are ahead of the DLS par score at the moment. 58/3 in 6 overs.

Captain Hardik Pandya has led the charge, scoring 22 off 8 balls so far.

A lot of talk about the approach and 'new era' leading into this series. This game might actually give you an insight into the template they're trying to follow. 3 wickets fell in the first 3 overs and yet, India find themselves crossing 50 in the fifth over.

It's all happening out there! Four balls hit in the air and four balls have landed in the vicinity of a fielder. Riding their luck are the Indians. Big over in the end though. 16 come off it and India move to 39/3 in 4 overs.

A little luck for Suryakumar Yadav in this game. Couple of leading edges fall short of the fielder after a beautiful four to get him off the mark.

India's reeling from the effects that over for now. Captain Hardik Pandya and World #1 T20I bat Suryakumar Yadav with quite the job on their hands now. 24/3 in 3 overs.

Iyer goes! India in some trouble here after a well-directed short one from Southee has Iyer in all sorts. Only manages to dab the ball into first slip's hands for a golden duck.

Pant follows! A promising looking innings from Pant came to end when he slashed wildly and only found Ish Sodhi in the deep. First wicket for Southee. India are 21/2 in 2.4 overs.

Ishan Kishan finds the fielder in the deep! Kishan goes for a 11-ball 10 after a wild hoick off Milne only finds Mark Chapman in the deep. Close to clearing the boundary. But not close enough.

Small break in play as Kishan gets a little treatment after a copping a blow to his arm. Hopefully nothing too serious here. Never nice to see a player get hurt.

A long check for the boundary there. It was beautifully played by Pant and it looked like it was going to stop before of the boundary. The checks are to see if Southee touched the boundary as he pushed the ball back. No boundary says the umpire. Just 3 off it in the end.

Quiet over the first one from Southee. If you ignore that one six off the fourth ball. Anything that is dropped short, Kishan will look to go square as seen in that over. India 6/0 after the first over.

We're all set to get back underway. Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan walk out there with the bat. It will be Tim Southee with the ball for the Kiwis.

NZ all out for 160 in 19.4 overs! It looked like the Kiwis were all set for a massive score with Conway and Phillips out in the middle. A 3-over period where the Kiwis lost 6 wickets for 3 runs swings the game back in India's favour. Now, Hardik Pandya's men will have to chase down 161 in their allotted 20 overs to win the series.

Southee showing the last 5 or so batters how to do it then. Carves a yorker-length delivery outside off behind point for four runs. 155/9 in 19 overs.

Collapse so nice I have to say it twice. They lost the last 6 wickets for 3 runs. This has been a shocking collapse. Those dreams of 180 will remain just that: dreams.

And now we have a run-out! It's all falling apart for the Kiwis. This has been an incredible collapse from the home side. Brilliant work in the field by Siraj to affect a direct hit.

4 for Arshdeep! All that criticism for Arshdeep only for him to return 4 wickets (at least) in response. Brilliant yorker sees Ish Sodhi stuck to his crease. Cleans him up! Arshdeep is on a hat-trick as well!

That's that for Mitchell! The all-rounder looks to pull a bouncer from Arshdeep but only gets a faint nick to Pant, who dives to his left and takes a very smart catch behind the stumps.

Exhibition death bowling from Siraj to end his contribution with the ball for today. NZ 149/6 in 18 overs.

SIRAJ'S ON FIRE, KIWI BATTERS ARE TERRIFIED! The Indian pacer picks up a fourth wicket. More importantly, he's stopped the runs from flowing and he's done it brilliantly. Cramped Santner just a bit and in the end the left-hander could only give a fairly easy catch to Chahal at cover.

SIRAJ GETS A THIRD! Siraj's dream-ish spell continues. He sends Neesham packing for a three-ball duck. The Indians are doing well to pull this game back in their favour bit-by-bit. The 180 mentioned earlier looking slightly more difficult now.

ARSHDEEP GETS CONWAY! Slows his pace down just a bit and Conway fails to read this one from Arshdeep. Swings at it only to find Ishan Kishan down at deep midwicket. It's been a great innings from the opener but now it's upto a new batter to come in and look to go boom from ball 1.

Mitchell joins the party right away. Going after the bowling from ball 1 as he should at this stage of the game. Arshdeep hasn't been at his best today and it does show in his bowling figures so far.

PHILLIPS GOES! The pressure from Siraj's dot balls seems to have done the trick. Phillips looks to pull but only gets a top edge, for Bhuvneshwar to take a good catch. Phillips departs for 54.

Into the death overs we go! NZ find themselves at 129/2 with 5 overs to go. They're looking to target 180 surely?

We've heard of the commentator's curse but it looks like me questioning him has done the opposite for Phillips. Commentator's blessing, perhaps? Not if you're an Indian fan reading this, of course!

50 for Phillips! Brings it up with yet another maximum. He was on 16 off 15 but now he's brought up his 50 in just 31 balls. Do the math eh?

That massive six is followed by a four. Bhuvneshwar ends up conceding 35 runs in his four overs without a wicket. A little unfair given how he bowled in the powerplay. But it is what it is!

Bhuvneshwar bowls out in the 14th over. Could very well have had a wicket but it's been a decent spell overall. Just as I was saying that, he disappears for a massive six over the short boundary.

50 for Conway! Triple off the first ball takes Conway's score past 50. This has been a pretty good innings from him. A little two-paced but looks a lot better considering the platform that it's set up for the Kiwis to finish.

Attack more is exactly what they do as well. A boundary and a massive six to end that Chahal probably means we won't see more of him in this innings. He's gone for 16 off that over, taking his innings tally to 35 in 3 overs.