India Clinches T20I Series Before Fourth Match in Auckland

India secured the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with an unassailable 3-0 lead before the teams’ fourth match, scheduled for October 30 at Eden Park in Auckland. The match had not yet been played as of October 29, and India could pursue a series clean sweep while New Zealand sought its first win of the series. Eden Park’s short straight boundaries are expected to shape attention around the fixture. A report put them at about 55 metres, below the International Cricket Council’s stated minimum of 59.43 metres. The venue’s square boundaries were reported at roughly 64 to 68 metres. The same report said the boundary-size provisions were introduced in 2007 and that grounds hosting international cricket before then may continue to stage matches. Eden Park first hosted a Test in 1930, an ODI in 1976 and a T20I in 2005. The Auckland stadium is also used for rugby and football, a factor cited in explaining its compact cricket dimensions. The fourth match was scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. India time. A report said all 40,000 tickets had been sold and described the expected crowd as a potential record for a bilateral match in New Zealand. Ticket sales do not establish the...