India vs New Zealand highlights, WTC Final, Day 4: Rain washes out Day 4 in Southampton

We have two full days of play remaining. With all the extra allotments, we can have a maximum of 14 hours of play to have the remaining 308.5 overs of play, which unless players bowl an over every two minutes looks almost impossible.

It's official. Rain has washed out Day 4. It was inevitable after all the rain. In fact, it is still raining in Southampton.

BAD NEWS! The rain has just picked up pace. I'm afraid that's gonna be it. We still have time for play but with this much rain, it looks highly unlikely. No official word yet.

The Ageas Bowl stadium authority could not have been done better to rub salt into New Zealand's wounds. First the rain and now the 2019 World Cup final highlights on the giant screen. Hello Kane Williamson?

Just got a glimpse of the current situation in Southampton through the official broadcasters and it's grimmer than we think. It is still raining, the covers are going nowhere.

The hopes are slowly fading away now. There has been no change whatsoever in the weather conditions, the rain is showing no signs of going away. It has become a bit bright but the clouds are there. Even if it stops raining in the next half hour, the wet patches and water on the covers would need at least two hours to clear.

The second session should have started by now but as per the latest updates in Southampton, it is still raining there. This is frustrating, the rain is not heavy by any means but it is there. That means chances of having play in the second session are also very very slim.

For the WTC final, the tickets are priced at three slabs -- GBP 150 (INR 15,444), GBP 100 (INR 10,296) and GBP 75 (INR 7722).

The new rates will be GBP 100 (INR 10,296), GBP 75 (INR 7722) and GBP 50 (INR 5148).

Rain has washed out the first session of Day 4. The match officials have decided to take lunch.

Finally, there is a glimmer of hope. The rain has thinned out a bit, still continuing, mind you but it has become a bit bright. More importantly, the supper soppers are in the ground, a sign maybe? For sure. There were no supper soppers since morning perhaps the groundstaff are sensing they can pull off a miracle. But for that, the rain needs to stop.

In an ideal day, we would have had 80 minutes of play, from an Indian perspective maybe even have New Zealand 5 down and looking forward to restrict them under 250 but instead, we are scrolling social media, searching on google, trying to be weatherman. Just for the record, it is still raining in Southampton.

It is still raining in Southampton but we are getting information that the officials are not ready to lose hope of play today. They will wait till the afternoon at least to make an announcement. The weather is expected to clear a bit later on but after so much of rain, it is unlikely that there will be enough time for the groundstaff to make it play-ready.

The reserved day has officially come into play from 2 and a half hours of no play on Day 1. About 3 and a half hours would have been played on sixth day (if needed) if there were no hold more delays. But we lost about two hours on Day 2 and another half an hour on Day 3. And by the look of things, we are set to lose a few more hours of play today. Only 141 overs of play has taken place so far out of the 450 but remember, it is never about the overs, it is always about time. The reserve day cannot be extended for more than 6 and a half hours. If we have no play today then there is no way we are getting the full 450 overs in even with the reserve day.

There has been no change in the weather in Southampton, live pictures show it is still raining. There are a few fans, who braved the weather and made their way into the ground with big umbrellas but I'm afraid they and millions of us will have to wait for long time today before we can some of action of the field.

'The pitch will be under covers, that means more and more moisture. If the Indian seamers can exploit that then India have a very good chance,' feels former India batsman VVS Laxman.

Is Kyle Jamieson as good with the table tennis racket as he is with the red ball?

The official broadcasters have confirmed that the start of Day 4 has been delayed due to rain. We are yet to hear from the umpires and match referee. It must be just a matter of time.

There is no way we are starting on time. But I'm fearing much worse. We could get an announcement of no play at least till the first session soon. Sit tight.

You don't wanna read this, spare of thought for me, who has been writing this for the last four days. We are getting reports that it is still raining in Southampton. Not pelting down like it was on Friday but it has rained all night and also in morning. The covers are firmly on inside the 30-yard circle. What's worse? There is no super sopper trying to dry the conditions at the moment, meaning the groundstaff are pretty sure of a long delay.

Yes, Conway and Latham did all the hard work to see off the new ball but for New Zealand to carry on and get a big first innings lead, captain Kane Williamson needs to dig deep. He hasn't been in the best of forms of late but we all know what a class act he is. India need to get him early.

'The kind of quality that India have right now in terms of bowling and batting and not to leave till the last moment, they can do anything. The series in Australia was one of the best. India don't need to look too far behind. Look at how New Zealand make a comeback. India were 140 for 3 but they were bowled out for 217. If India can get an early wicket today, one might bring two': Irfan Pathan on how India can make a comeback.

Dinesh Karthik confirms it is currently raining in Southampton. Not too hard but enough to keep the groundstaff away.' I wouldn't wanna bet for an on-time start.

'Barring that late wicket of Devon Conway towards the end, I think New Zealand had a perfect day. They bowled India out cheaply and then got to a 100 for 2. It's pretty much similar to the position India were in at stumps on Day 2': Shane Bond on Star Sports.

There is no doubt that India are behind the eighth ball but that doesn't mean they can't turn it around. This Virat Kohli-led side has shown time and again that they can comeback from behind and win it from any situation. There's no reason why they can't do it in the WTC final. The next three hours (whenever that happens) will be extremely crucial for the context of the game. India cannot allow New Zealand to get a big first innings lead and for that they need to strike early on Day 4.