Ahmedabad: The rain kept coming at regular intervals, thanks to thunderstorms lashing the city for four hours on Sunday evening. The IPL final between hosts Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings was washed out without a ball being bowled.
Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni couldn’t even go out for the toss. Thankfully, the organisers scheduled a reserve day.
The weather has been better on Monday, and it’s dry right now. MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl first.
But some showers have been forecast later this evening, between 8 pm and 10 pm.
In case of rain interruption, the same playing conditions will apply as on Sunday.
The deadline to start a full 20-over match is 9.35 pm, while a 5-over game – the minimum to constitute a match – can start no later than 12.06 am.
If even a five-overs-per-side contest is not possible, the teams will compete in a Super Over — and if necessary further Super Overs — to determine the champions.
If conditions don’t permit Super Over also, the team which finished higher on the league standings will be declared winners.
Gujarat Titans topped the league stage of the competition with 20 points, while Chennai Super Kings (17) finished second on superior net run-rate than Lucknow Super Giants.
Hence, Pandya’s men, who are the defending champions, stand to gain if there is no result on Monday as well.
Dhoni’s CSK will be denied the chance to win a record-equalling fifth crown, but that’s not the way Gujarat Titans would ideally want to win the IPL for a second successive time.
