The Indian Premier League started with a lot of action-packed matches, and more are yet to come as teams look to secure early points in the season. However, rain can play spoilsport and affect how the points table will shape up at the end of the group stage.
The concern has grown as last night’s match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens was suspended due to rain, with both teams going home with a point each. KKR were down by 2 wickets for just 25 on the scoreboard when rain interrupted, and the game could not restart the whole evening. This illustrated how external factors can shift the narrative for IPL teams.
This now shifts the focus to today’s exciting contest between hosts Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians at ACA Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Both teams have started well in their IPL campaigns, and despite MI losing one, they would be looking to strengthen their position on the table.
The game, scheduled to start today at 7:30 PM IST, may be affected by rain, as Guwahati has experienced intermittent showers lately.
Weather report during match hours
An approximate temperature of around 22°C is expected, with high humidity of around 83% in the evening today at Guwahati. There is a moderate chance of precipitation earlier in the evening, with the probability dropping to just 9% during the match hours, according to AccuWeather.
As per the reports, there is a slight chance that the weather affects the coin toss and the early phase of 1st innings, but the impact may be seen on how the outfield and pitch react during the game.
While a complete washout, like yesterday at Eden Gardens, appears unlikely, there is a chance of a shortened contest.
As per the IPL rules, no reserve days are allotted for group-stage matches. In case the rain interrupts, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method will be used to revise the target in the shortened contest. A minimum of 5 overs by each side is required to declare a final result, and needs to be staged no later than 11:56 PM IST to avoid the match being washed out.
A point will be shared between RR and MI if the match proceeds to being suspended.
For RR, this could mean missing out on 2 points and ending their perfect start to the campaign, as they sit 3rd on the table with 2 wins from 2 matches.
MI, on the other hand, sit 6th on the table and would love to play a full game to close the gap to RR. Also, captain Hardik Pandya is expected to be back in action today, and the team would be looking to build their rhythm around him, after a defeat to the Delhi Capitals in the last match.
While the match promises great performances on the field today, the outcome may depend on the role weather plays as well.
