Cricket Australia found itself in an unprecedented situation, facing a significant financial loss due to just 10 minutes of rain during the third Test between India and Australia. Quite a surprising turn of events, right? Let’s break it down.
On the first day, only 13.2 overs were completed, with Australia managing just 28 runs in their batting innings. Under Cricket Australia’s policy, if fewer than 15 overs are bowled, fans are eligible for full refunds. Since only 13.2 overs were played, the crowd was left disappointed but compensated.
India’s captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bowl under overcast skies, hoping to exploit the favorable bowling conditions. However, heavy rainfall soon halted play, preventing it from resuming. If just 10 more balls had been bowled before the rain, Cricket Australia could have avoided the refund. As it stood, only 80 balls of play were possible in 60 minutes.
With all tickets for the first day sold out, 30,145 spectators attended, only to witness limited play due to the weather. In the end, Cricket Australia suffered a massive 1 million dollar loss from just 10 missed balls.