The third ODI between New Zealand and India at Seddon Park in Hamilton was abandoned without a ball being bowled, leaving India 2-0 up with two matches to play and assured of not losing the series. Rain, which hung over the game for two days and even disrupted practice sessions, played spoilsport in the end.

The toss, first pushed back by half an hour with no overs lost, was delayed again when the showers returned, and the contest had been trimmed to 40 overs a side by the time the captains finally walked out. Shubman Gill called correctly once more and chose to bowl, condemning Mitchell Santner to his seventh lost toss of the tour, but the drizzle was back before the players could take the field.

The covers came on and off through the evening, and an inspection was scheduled for 5:30 PM local time, only for the rain to pick up again. With the outfield needing at least 30 to 40 minutes to be made ready and the rain still falling, the umpires called it off at 6:41 PM, well ahead of the 8:02 PM cut-off for a 20-over game.

India had named an unchanged XI while New Zealand brought in Matthew Fisher for Blair Tickner.

The hosts now have to win both remaining games at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, on Friday and Sunday, to square the series. And they will have to do it without Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham and Nathan Smith, who all leave to join the Test squad. India will lose Gill and KL Rahul for the same reason.