IPL 2026: Rain Forces Abandonment of KKR's Match Against PBKS

Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders bagged their first point of the season after the IPL match against Punjab Kings was abandoned after a combination of heavy rains and wet outfield made the play impossible to resume here on Monday. When the initial round of rain fell on Eden Gardens, the KKR were struggling at 25 for 2 in 3.4 overs. The proceedings never restarted from the point despite the cut-off time getting moved up to 11.14pm.

The PBKS too received a point and moved atop the table for the time being with five points from three games. The Kolkatans now have one point from three matches, ahead of Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings who are yet to open their account.

Incidentally, the fixture between KKR and PBKS here during IPL 2025 was also called off because of rain.

KKR have a third home match in a row, facing Lucknow Super Giants on Thursday but rain is predicted on that day too.

Cutting back to the day's match, rain and winds lashed the venue from 9 pm, gradually turning into a thunderstorm.

The wind was so heavy that the unique 'hanging' Eden press box supported by iron beams shook under the gale force, resembling an 'earthquake'.

The drizzle finally subsided around 10.30pm, prompting the ground staff to spring into action and remove the covers.

The pitch and outfield appeared largely intact with no significant seepage, although a few puddles had formed near the boundary lines due to water runoff from the covers after they were peeled off.

An inspection followed with on-field umpires Abhijeet Bengeri and J Madanagopal assessing conditions.

The Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly too checked the firmness of the ground and after a lengthy discussion with KKR skipper Rahane and his Punjab counterpart Shreyas Iyer the match was called off at 11pm.

On a day when KKR were without both their frontline spinners -- an well Sunil Narine and an injured Varun Chakravarthy -- their decision to bat first seemed to have backfired spectacularly.

Punjab Kings' Aussie speedster Xavier Bartlett struck twice in three balls in a fiery second over, removing both their star overseas batters -- Finn Allen (6) and Cameron Green (4).

Pacer Arshdeep Singh set the tone in the opening over. Allen looked tentative against the left-armer, edging and missing more than once, before Bartlett finished the job in the next over in a fine display of swing and seam.

Allen had a couple of close shaves -- beaten on the edge and nearly undone by a yorker that he somehow dug out for four -- but his luck ran out soon.

Attempting an inside-out drive to a length ball outside off, he could only manage a faint nick.

Promoted to No. 3 ahead of Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Green, the highest-paid overseas player at Rs 25.20 crore, continued his miserable outing having earlier managed scores of 18 (against Mumbai Indians) and 2 (Sunrisers Hyderabad),

Bartlett struck again with a similar back of a length delivery in the channel, swinging away inducing another loose poke.

With Bartlett breathing fire and KKR firmly on the back foot, Rahane and Raghuvanshi began to rebuild before steady drizzle halted the proceedings at 7.45pm.

With Eden Gardens equipped with full ground covers, the ground staff swiftly covered the entire field.

There was a brief relent when the covers began to come off, but rain returned, leaving the spectators frustrated as many started leaving.

All this unfolded in front of Bollywood superstar and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, who made his first appearance of the season at the venue, only to witness a rain-hit evening.

The match also witnessed a relatively sparse turnout, with 29,358 spectators in attendance.