Rain played spoilsport during the highly anticipated IPL 2023 final between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 28. The persistent downpour and hailstorms in Ahmedabad forced the authorities to reschedule the match to the reserve day, leaving fans anxiously awaiting the outcome.
Weather forecasts suggest that the reserve day will likely witness a full 40-over contest between the two formidable teams. However, there are concerns of cloudy conditions and moderate wind speeds of 10-15 km/hour throughout the evening.
While the weather appears promising, one can never be certain of nature's whims. In the event of rain further disrupting the proceedings, several possible scenarios could unfold:
1. Delayed Start: If rain delays the match, no overs will be lost if play begins before 9:40 pm. Any further delay will result in a reduction in the number of overs.
2. Rescheduled Conditions: Should the start be further delayed, the revised conditions would be as follows: 9:45 pm for a 19-over game, 10 pm for a 17-over game, and 10:30 pm for a 15-over game.
3. Cutoff Time for Five-Over Match: The final cutoff time to conduct a five-over-a-side match is set at 12:06 am.
4. Super Over: If a match cannot be completed within the aforementioned parameters, a Super Over will determine the winner. The outfield and pitch must be ready by 1:20 am for this option to be considered.
5. GT as Title Winners: In the absence of a Super Over, Gujarat Titans will be crowned champions, given their higher position on the points table. Led by Hardik Pandya, Gujarat secured 20 points to finish atop the table, while Chennai Super Kings managed 17 points, ending in the second position.
Furthermore, there remains the possibility of rain interruptions during the contest. In such cases, different scenarios come into play:
- If rain interrupts the first innings significantly, overs will be reduced to ensure both teams have a chance to bat.
- If the first innings is completed, but rain washes out the entire second innings, Gujarat Titans will claim the title.
- If the first innings is played and rain interrupts after five overs in the second innings, the Duckworth-Lewis (DL) method will be applied to determine the result.
- If the DL rules are invoked, but the match remains unplayable, Gujarat Titans will be declared the winners.
Chennai Super Kings, eyeing their fifth IPL crown, and Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans, aiming for back-to-back titles, both have their sights set on lifting the coveted trophy. However, the unpredictable nature of the weather adds an extra layer of excitement and uncertainty to this high-stakes encounter.