The eagerly anticipated grand finale of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad faced a major setback as heavy rainfall disrupted the plans of Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, the two teams vying for the championship title.
The rain delay caused the toss to be postponed on Sunday, creating anticipation among players and fans alike. Although the rain briefly subsided around 8:55 pm, allowing players to warm up, it returned with even greater intensity, forcing the covers to be brought back on the pitch. Eventually, the match officials deemed the conditions unsuitable for play, and at 22:54 IST, with the cut-off time set at 00:06 IST on Monday, the contest was called off and rescheduled for the reserve day.
As the reserve day approaches, there are concerns about the possibility of further rain and its impact on the final outcome. In the event of rain delays on the reserve day, the cut-off time rules remain the same as they were on Sunday. The match will start losing overs from 9:35 pm, and a five-over match would have a cut-off time of 12:06 am on Tuesday. If additional rain intervenes, a Super Over may be used to determine the result, with preparations required to be completed by 1:20 AM IST.
However, in the unfortunate scenario where no play is possible on the reserve day, the team that finished highest in the league table after the 70 matches of the regular season will be declared the winner of the playoff match or final. Consequently, if the reserve day is also washed out, the defending champions Gujarat Titans would retain the IPL title due to their position atop the league table.
The weather prediction for Monday indicates a thunderstorm around 5 PM IST, expected to last about an hour. However, there is no forecast of rain during the match hours, raising hopes for a full 20-over match and an uninterrupted and thrilling showdown for both fans and players.