Ahead of India vs New Zealand, the Match 18 of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Team India captain Virat Kohli along with Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik and a few other Indian players jogged a few rounds at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Wednesday. Under those grey skies, it was a very quiet atmosphere with the buzz almost missing. This ground is to host India and New Zealand tomorrow, provided the weather gods are kind. The players know it, the media is aware and so are the fans, who were conspicuous by their absence. Nottingham Weather Update: Gloomy Conditions, Rain Forecast Ahead of India vs New Zealand CWC19 Match at Trent Bridge.

The whole of South England has faced a barrage of rain over the last few days. The Pakistan-Australia game in Taunton started as the rains relented a bit. The organisers of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 would have sighed in relief considering two back-to-back washouts in the tournament. But, the forecast isn’t encouraging in Nottingham for match day. It suggests a 90 percent chance of rain and we’d be fortunate to have a game. Even if we do have a game, it could well be a shortened one. Rain Woes in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Reserve Days for Every Match Not Possible, Says ICC.

Nottingham is generally a very friendly and welcoming city, but it’s been dark and gloomy for a couple of days. Add to that is the cold, with temperatures hovering around the 10 degree Celsius mark. There wasn’t much one could do apart from staying indoors. Venturing out was a challenge, as the gusts of cold wind would hit you along with the steady, yet light, raindrops.

The Indians were forced to cancel their practice on Tuesday owing to the steady rain but managed to get in a session on the eve of the game. That is an encouraging sign but forecasts in this country are accurate and tomorrow may not be as good.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 12, 2019 05:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).