Defending champion SSP Chawrasia, Eddie Pepperell and Carlos Pigem will take a share of the lead into what promises to be an intriguing final day of the Hero Indian Open.
With over four hours of play lost to the threat of lightning on days one and two, the field was playing catch up and all three of the leading players will have to return to finish round three on Sunday morning.
Playing partners Chawrasia and Pepperell reached six under with seven to play when darkness descended on day three and Pigem will face a putt on the 12th green to take the lead outright when play resumes at DLF Golf and Country Club.
Gavin Green sat a shot off the lead with one hole to play after holing a chip in the twilight with his final shot of the day.
Chawrasia has four runners-up finishes as well as last season's victory at his national Open and will be looking to become the first player to win their first four European Tour events in their home country.
The 38 year old missed a short putt to bogey the second but bounced straight back, holing from the fringe at the fourth and adding another gain on the ninth.
"I stuck to the same game-plan that I have had for the first two rounds," he said. "I just want to hit straight, keep the ball in play and keep giving myself chances all the time.
"The key is not to give away loose shots. Birdies are so difficult to find on this course and they require a lot of hard work, so to give away a bogey is painful."
Pepperell lost his card last season but reclaimed it at the Qualifying School and is now aiming for a first European Tour win in his first made cut of the season.
After five opening pars, he dropped a shot on the sixth as he failed to get up and down from an awkward stance before back-to-back gains on the eighth and ninth moved him back to the summit.
I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. I've got a game-plan - Eddie Pepperell
Earlier, the Englishman had made three birdies in his final four holes as he played the last 16 of his second round.
"I guess I can take confidence from what I've done today," he said. "I managed to keep my form pretty good all day. I'll try to do that again tomorrow.
"The greens are firm, the pin positions are tricky. The greens are like something you would find at Disneyland. It's difficult. The fairways are tight, there's no let-up. You need to hit good shot after good shot.
"I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. I've got a game-plan."
Spaniard Pigem was producing some dialled-in iron play and he birdied the first, second, seventh, eighth and 11th while dropping a shot on the sixth.
"I'm really happy about my round," he said. "If I can keep playing really good, let's see what can happen tomorrow.
"I'm really excited. It was a shame to finish today because I was playing really good. But I will have a good sleep and see if tomorrow I can play as good as today."
Green made his move from the fifth, holing a 20-footer, putting his approaches close on the sixth and seventh and getting up and down from the sand on the eighth. More excellent approaches followed on the ninth and tenth and Green had six birdies in a row and a share of the lead. The Malaysian then bogeyed the 16th before his big finish to the day.
Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey was then at four under with six to play, alongside England's David Horsey who had seven holes to complete.
Scotsman Scott Jamieson and Grégory Havret were then both at three under with four to play, the Frenchman having produced a remarkable 40-foot putt that turned a full 90 degrees to par the eighth.
American Peter Uihlein was the clubhouse leader at one under, alongside countryman Paul Peterson who had played 12 holes, and Italy's Matteo Manassero who had seven remaining.
Scotland's Duncan Stewart made the ninth hole-in-one of the season in the second round when he holed a six iron from 178 yards at the fifth.
