Rain forces abandonment of KKR’s match against PBKS
Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings shared a point apiece after their Indian Premier League match was called off due to incessant rain and the subsequent wet outfield here on Monday.
The home side’s skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bat, but his team suffered an early setback in just the second over as Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett dismissed opener Finn Allen (6) and Cameron Green (4), leaving KKR struggling at 16 for two.
Rahane (8 not out) and wicketkeeper-batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi (7 not out) were attempting to stabilise the innings when rain halted the play at 25 for two after just 3.4 overs.
With the match eventually abandoned, KKR secured their first point after back-to-back losses. With Eden Gardens equipped with full ground covers, the groundstaff sprang into action, swiftly covering the entire field.
There was a brief relent when the covers began to come off, but rain returned with thunderstrom and lightning, leaving spectators frustrated as they started leaving.
The match also witnessed a relatively sparse turnout, with 29,358 spectators in attendance possibly due to a Monday fixture and overcast conditions.
All this unfolded in front of Bollywood superstar and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, who made his first appearance of the season, only to witness a rain-hit evening.
Incidentally, last season’s KKR-PBKS fixture at the Eden (April 26) was also affected by rain, with both teams forced to share a point.
The Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings had posted 201 for 4 before KKR reached 7 for no loss when rain intervened.
An inspection was held at 8.45 pm, but with further showers accompanied by gusty Kalbaisakhi (Nor’wester) winds, the outlook remained grim.
Overs begin to be reduced after a delay of one hour, with roughly one over per side lost for every four to five minutes thereafter. The cut-off time to start a five-overs-a-side match — the minimum required for a result — is 10.56pm.
However, with rain expected to intensify as per forecasts, a result appeared unlikely. A washout, though, would help KKR open their account with one point after a winless start.
According to the IMD, the rain has been triggered by a low-pressure trough stretching from Bihar to Manipur, passing over North Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh, leading to moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal.
“Thunderstorms with lightning and rain may occur in most districts of South Bengal. From Sunday to Thursday, scattered rainfall is likely across the state, with higher intensity on Tuesday and Wednesday,” the IMD said.
Weather conditions are expected to worsen on Tuesday, with Kalbaisakhi storms likely to bring winds of 50-60 kmph, along with lightning and heavy rain in Kolkata and adjoining areas.
KKR have a third home match in a row facing Lucknow Super Giants on Thursday but that too has some rain forecast.
Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 25 for 2 in 3.4 overs (Xavier Bartlett 2/9). Match abandoned.
