The excitement for the Indian Premier League season opener may take a back seat as a relentless drizzle upon Kolkata on Friday evening, brought an abrupt halt to the practice sessions of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Just a day before their highly anticipated IPL 2025 opener at the iconic Eden Gardens, the weather turned gloomy with gusty winds, likely to affect the big clash.
The teams had kicked off their training at 5 PM, but by 6 PM, the rain forced grounds staff into action to cover the field, while players quickly wrapped up their drills.
🚨 Kolkata Current Weather ☁️ 🚨
Disclaimer- this video is from 1km far from stadium 🏟️ #KKRvRCB pic.twitter.com/UcpYcy1b8T
— CricFreak69 (@Twi_Swastideep) March 22, 2025
Weather forecast for today’s match:
The weather outlook remains concerning. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued an “orange alert” for both Friday and Saturday, warning of possible thunderstorms, gusty winds, lightning, hail, and moderate rainfall across several districts of West Bengal, including Kolkata.
The forecast predicts severe weather conditions for regions like Jhargram, Midnapore, Bankura, and Hooghly, while Saturday could see thunderstorms and rain affecting Nadia, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and both North and South 24 Parganas.
Can The Eden Gardens recover from heavy rain:
Fortunately, Eden Gardens boasts one of the best facilities in the league, equipped with full ground covers that protect the pitch and outfield from the downpour. It features a three-layer design with pipes, gravel, and sand to facilitate water absorption and drainage.
What happens if Rain stops play:
The IPL rules provide a one-hour buffer for league matches, allowing play to continue until 12:06 AM, with a five-over game cutoff set for 10:56 PM.
If the match is abandoned, both teams will be awarded a point each.
