Kolkata: The unseasonal rains in Kolkata postponed the first qualifier of Indian Premier League (IPL) VII between Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders to Wednesday, turning the outcome of the contest into something of a lottery.
The match will now be played at 2.30pm UAE time, while the eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will be played in Mumbai as scheduled (from 6.30pm). However, a double-washout would put Kings XI Punjab through to the final without a ball being bowled as they are sitting at the top of the points table while KKR are second.
“Match referee Roshan Mahanama has announced the cancellation of the match because of rain,” said Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretary Subir Ganguly. “He made the decision after inspecting the ground along with the umpires. The match will now be played Wednesday.”
The organisers have also announced that tickets for the original match day (Tuesday) will be valid for Wednesday.
“Refunds will only be made to ticket purchasers if the match is cancelled without a ball being bowled on either the original day or the reserve day as per the terms and conditions which are stipulated on the tickets,” the organisers said in a statement. “If appropriate, a separate announcement will be made regarding the detailed procedures for obtaining a refund.”
Both teams had to cancel their match-eve practice on Monday after the Eden Gardens ground was lashed with rain. The scenario remained the same on Tuesday following frequent spells of rain.
On-field umpires Nigel Llong and S Ravi had an inspection of the ground along with curator Prabir Mukherjee at 4pm. After consultations, the trio were unanimous in their decision that no play would be possible as the ground would not be ready in time even for a minimum five-overs-per-side match.
Should KKR end up on the losing side on Wednesday, they will have another shot at the final as they will be playing the second qualifier against the winner of the ‘Eliminator’ between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.