Persistent rain had the last word in the third and final T20 International between New Zealand and England at Eden Park on Wednesday, forcing the match to be abandoned after just 3.4 overs.
With the washout, England sealed the three-match series 1-0, thanks to their comprehensive win in the second game at Christchurch.
The much-anticipated finale got off to a brisk start as New Zealand openers Tim Seifert and Tim Robinson showed intent early, but the weather soon intervened — first after 21 balls and then decisively after multiple failed restart attempts.
Early Fireworks Before the Downpour
England, having won the toss and opted to field, saw Seifert begin aggressively, cracking two boundaries in the opening over. The hosts reached 20 without loss before the first spell of rain halted play for an hour and a half, reducing the match to 14 overs per side.
When play briefly resumed, Seifert greeted Brydon Carse with a six over deep square leg, but the tall pacer struck back almost immediately, dismissing Tim Robinson, who holed out to deep mid-wicket.
Rachin Ravindra then lofted Carse for a six, and Seifert added another maximum over mid-wicket — but just as momentum built, the heavens opened again. A heavy shower delayed play for another 40 minutes before a final attempt to stage an eight-over contest was washed away.
With that, the umpires called off the match, handing England the series.
England’s Dominant Show in Christchurch Sets Up Series Win
The rain-affected series had already tilted England’s way after their 65-run win in the second T20I at Hagley Oval. Batting first, Phil Salt (85) and Harry Brook (78) powered England to a mammoth 236 for 6, while Adil Rashid’s four-wicket haul ensured New Zealand fell well short at 171 all out.
The first T20I, also at Christchurch, met a similar fate to the finale — called off after the first innings because of relentless rain.
A Wet End to a Promising Series
Both teams will rue the weather’s intervention, with glimpses of brilliance drowned out by rain across the series. For England, the victory adds valuable preparation ahead of their upcoming limited-overs commitments, while New Zealand will look to regroup before the next leg of their home season.
