IPL Restart under rain threat as Bengaluru expects showers in the game against Kolkata Knight Riders today evening.
IPL Restart overshadowed by heavy rain forecast.
Heavy rain is predicted for Bengaluru on May 17, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) play Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which could negatively impact the start of the 2025 Indian Premier League.
Heavy thunderstorms are predicted for Saturday afternoon through Saturday night, according to Accuweather. Additionally, one or two nighttime rain or thundershower spells were forecast on the Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) website.
The scheduling of the RCB and KKR training sessions on match eve was influenced by the weather. According to team director Mo Bobat, the decision to hold RCB’s practice session from 2 to 5 p.m. was made in light of the evening’s unpredictable weather forecast. Training for KKR began at 5 p.m. and ended at 6.30 p.m.
Bengaluru has had a fairly wet week, with nearly every area of the city receiving enough rainfall. Long after both teams had finished their practice sessions, at approximately 9.30 p.m. on Friday, the rain began to fall and continued for at least the following four hours. It was the same on Thursday evening.
If rain forces an abandonment, KKR’s prospects of making the playoffs are over. With two games remaining and 11 points, KKR can only reach a maximum of 14 if points are shared, which is insufficient for a postseason berth. Earlier in the season, they had already lost one game to the Punjab Kings.
Even if the game is washed out, RCB will still have a good chance of making it to the playoffs and finishing in the top two. The RCB-Punjab Kings (PBKS) game was already cut short to 14 overs each side due to rain in Bengaluru last month.
Although the weather had an impact on their training, Bobat stated that if it rains on match day, there isn’t much anyone can do. It is also important to note that the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has a cutting-edge drainage technology that enables play to continue minutes after the rain has stopped.