A sudden spell of rain disrupted Kolkata Knight Riders' final practice session before their IPL final against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, raising concerns about whether the rain could also interrupt the final. While SRH had a day off, KKR was set to practice in the evening under lights. However, as the players began their warm-up game of football, the heavens opened up, forcing them indoors.
Despite the rain, the groundsmen managed to cover the fourth strip, which will be used for the final match. The primary composition of the track for the final is red soil, offering better batting conditions compared to the black soil track used in the second qualifier.
For the final, the weather forecasts suggest no official prediction of rain, but it is expected to remain cloudy with low humidity. Accuweather suggests 97 per cent cloud cover on Sunday night. There is a one per cent possibility of a thunderstorm, which is negligible; however, with the unexpected spell of rain spoiling KKR's practice session, it can't be said for certain whether the final will proceed uninterrupted.
Moreover, Cyclone Remal in the north of the Bay of Bengal is threatening to bring minor rains, which could have a slight impact on Tamil Nadu's capital city.
But, like last year, there is a provision for reserve day in case of a washout, and the forecast for that day looks favourable. The IPL 2023 final was played across two days after rain interrupted the Sunday night's play in Ahmedabad. The match was shortened after rain forced delay on Monday, too, but was eventually completed with Chennai Super Kings beating Gujarat Titans on the final delivery of the season.
SRH vs KKR
{{/usCountry}}But, like last year, there is a provision for reserve day in case of a washout, and the forecast for that day looks favourable. The IPL 2023 final was played across two days after rain interrupted the Sunday night's play in Ahmedabad. The match was shortened after rain forced delay on Monday, too, but was eventually completed with Chennai Super Kings beating Gujarat Titans on the final delivery of the season.
SRH vs KKR
{{/usCountry}}The Sunrisers qualified for the final after their dominant win over the Rajasthan Royals – by 36 runs – in the Qualifier 2 of the season on Friday. KKR and SRH met in the first qualifier on Tuesday, with the former registering a convincing win to book a direct entry to the final.