The upcoming match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, therefore, is scheduled to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday.
The IPL 2024 final was rescheduled to the reserved day due to continuous rainfall, causing a delay in the toss and the start of the highly anticipated match. The decision to move the final to the reserved day was officially communicated at 10:55 p.m. local time.
The upcoming match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for the final on Sunday was not favourable, which disappointed the fans who had gathered to witness the event as conditions continued to deteriorate.
The rain started in the evening, approximately half an hour before the scheduled toss at around 6:30 p.m. local time. It continued without interruption for at least two and a half hours. Fortunately, the rain eventually stopped after 9:00 p.m. local time. At around 8:30 p.m. IST, two super soppers were already being used, and once the rain ceased, the covers were removed.
Nevertheless, a substantial bout of rainfall reappeared, compelling the ground crew to once again shield the field and prompting the players to retreat from the pitch where they had commenced their warm-up. The covers and uncovered areas of the playing field were noticeably flooded, requiring the ground staff to spend over an hour removing the water, assuming the rain had ceased.
Reserve Day
Following the regulations, the IPL final has a provision for a reserve day, which is Monday, May 29 this year. This reserve day is scheduled in case the match cannot commence by the designated cut-off time of 12:06 am. If the match does not begin by then, a truncated contest of five overs per side will take place. Currently, there are no forecasts of rain on Monday, indicating a high likelihood of a full 20-over match.
Team Members Decision
The team members, including Hardik Pandya, the captain of the Gujarat Titans, and MS Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, along with the match officials and umpires, made their way to the centre of the field to assess the conditions.Â
Ashish Nehra also examined the pitch, which appeared to be in excellent condition as the covers had been removed and the super-soppers were actively working. Nevertheless, the precipitation made a comeback, affecting the spirits of both the fans and players who hurriedly retreated to the dressing rooms.
The covers swiftly made their way back onto the pitch and the square as the downpour intensified.
During the following hour, the rainfall grew stronger, increasing puddles on the outfield. The rain persisted for another hour without showing any signs of stopping.
An interesting sight unfolded at the Narendra Modi Stadium when the organizers displayed a message on the giant screen, advising the fans to safeguard their physical tickets. Umpires Nitin Menon and Rod Tucker provided insights into the conditions in Ahmedabad, revealing that the ground staff had informed them that it would take approximately one hour to prepare the field.
Ahmedabad Weather Forecast
Despite a 60 per cent likelihood of rain on Sunday, the weather forecast for Monday, known as the Reserve Day, appears more promising. According to AccuWeather, there is only a 3 per cent chance of rain in the evening. However, it is expected to remain cloudy throughout the Reserve Day. The Indian Meteorological Department forecasts mild thunderstorms on Monday, May 29th.
