The predictions held true and the rain bucketed down more than once, reducing the early part of India’s semifinal against England at the Guyana National Stadium to a stop-start affair.

Play began an hour and a quarter behind schedule on Thursday morning with the defending champions and Rohit Sharma’s men aspiring to set up a Saturday showdown in the final against South Africa. With the weather in mind, Jos Buttler had no hesitation in asking India to bat first on a slow pitch with low bounce, opting to chase even though Rohit said he would have batted first in any case, given the dryness of the track.