Wellington, March 6:

The second one-day international between New Zealand and India was called off today after frequent rain disruptions.

After India elected to bat they reached 188 for four in 28.4 overs before rain forced the players from the field for the third time and the umpires declared the match abandoned.

The game had progressively been reduced from 50 to 44, then 33 overs before being called off. Amid the showers, India were setting the stage for a big innings, cashing in on a typical rapid start by Sachin Tendulkar, who made 61, and Virender Sehwag, who was out for 54.

When the match started Sehwag was circumspect by his standards. But in the fifth over he belted four fours off Kyle Mills and raced to 54. Restricted by a left leg injury, which necessitated the use of a runner late in his innings, Sehwag preferred the short route to gather runs and by the time he was out he had pounded nine boundaries and one six.

He was surprisingly sent back to the pavilion by umpire Evan Watkin, who ruled he was caught behind when TV replays showed the ball coming off the pads. Tendulkar was dropped by Mills off Ian Butler on 22 and then belted the next two balls for six and four as he raced to 61. But with India well poised at 139-1 by the 22nd over, Tendulkar mistimed a sweep and was trapped by Daniel Vettori.

Yuvraj Singh came and went quickly, lasting four balls without scoring, before Gautam Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni reignited the innings.

Gambhir scored 30 off 36 balls before falling to Iain O’Brien while trying to lift the pace after the second rain disruption, and when the rain drove the players off the field for the third and final time, Dhoni was unbeaten on 23 with Suresh Raina on 13.

Vettori and Butler were the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, with Vettori claiming one for 14 off three overs, while Butler had one for 38 off seven.