It was neither a dominating performance by the table-topper nor was it a consolation win for the home team in its last outing at its famed home ground. Instead, it turned out to be a damp squib as Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders were forced to split points in the opening affair of the preliminary stage’s last week of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
A dust storm late in the afternoon developed into pre-season showers and a relentless drizzle throughout the night meant neither team even stepped out of the Narendra Modi Stadium dressing room until the game was formally called off.
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The abandonment – IPL 2024’s first – meant Gujarat Titans’ mathematical chances of making a late entry into the Playoffs were washed away. The Knight Riders, meanwhile, were assured of a top-two finish, a vital aspect of the league stage since it offers an additional opportunity for the team to feature in the grand finale on May 26.
With the Titans having thumped Chennai Super Kings, thanks to captain Shubman Gill and stylish southpaw B. Sai Sudharsan’s hundreds at the top in its last outing, Amdavadis had hoped for a win in the Titans’ last league game. Instead, they had to make do with multiple rounds of rain dances.
While the Knight Riders will feature in the IPL Playoffs for the first time since 2021, the Titans will miss out on the Playoffs for the first time since joining the IPL bandwagon in 2022. With the city set to host the first two Playoffs ties, the IPL organisers will hope that the pre-monsoon showers take a break next week.
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