The first Twenty20 International between India and Sri Lanka was called off without a ball being bowled as damp patches on the pitch refused to dry up at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. Soon after Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bowl, it started raining. It stopped raining after a while but the start of play was delayed. As the ground staff managed to dry the outfield, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant walked out to inspect the pitch. The Indian skipper then pointed out that some water had seeped onto the pitch and there were some damp patches. Therefore, a light roller and a vacuum dryer were employed for pitch repair. And then, a hair dryer and a steam iron were being used as the damp patch on the surface refused to budge. 

Soon, Twitter was flooded with funny reactions from fans.

1980 – will have flying cars in 2020

2020 – drying pitch with hair dryer #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/H6EM1zQwzm

— sarcastic_dude (@_dhamo) January 5, 2020

Ok!! Breaking Pitch is Mockery and this goona be Hectic. Game Will be called off Now No issue in that, If Pitch is Mockery.

Try Helicopter to dry the Ground it can be More Easy. #INDvsSL #INDvSL #MatchCalledOff

— Akshay Lutade (@Luttu_27) January 5, 2020

#INDvsSL Such a powerful hair-dryer…. Indian jugaad! ???? #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/U2YpWwDlrX

— OM Rajpurohit (@omrajguru) January 5, 2020

#INDvSL kis company ka hair dryer hai

— SANDEEP KUMAR (@SANDEEP14026569) January 5, 2020

Itni baarish ho rhi iss pitch par match to ho nahi paayega ek ped hi laga deta hu pitch par #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/Hwb6qbd6TZ

— Rishabh Srivastava (@AskRishabh) January 5, 2020

It’s Hair Dryer vs Wet patches… ??

My money on the wet patches to win the game ?? #INDvSL #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/Omcvn661in

— OM Rajpurohit (@omrajguru) January 5, 2020

#INDvSL

Mere kuchhh kpde bhi hai…kl office jana hai…press kr Dena Bhai log pic.twitter.com/4LR0Dc5ufP

— jitendra Nath Kashyap (@jnkpjjitu) January 5, 2020

Terming it a “school-boy error”, Aakash Chopra lashed out at the Assam Cricket Association (ACA)’s neglicence, while VVS Laxman called it an “elementary mistake”. 

“It’s nothing but a school boy error. The 22-yard is a sacrosanct place and they have left a few holes in the cover as some amount of water seeped in. It is some amount of negligence. You can’t have an excuse at this level,” Chopra said. 

The second match of the three-match series will be played on Tuesday in Indore while the final game is scheduled to be held in Pune on January 10.