Damp squib: Unrelenting rain quashed all hopes of action in the GT-KKR match.
| Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

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.

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 at 10.36 p.m.

The abandonment – IPL 2024’s first – meant Titans’ mathematical chances of making a late entry into the playoffs were washed away. Knight Riders, meanwhile, was 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 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 GT’s last league game. Instead, they had to make do with multiple rounds of rain dances.

While KKR will feature in IPL playoffs for the first time since 2021, Titans will miss out on the playoffs for the first time since joining the 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.

Big-match player: GT would rely on its trump card Rashid to deliver against an inform KKR.
| Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

Contrary to the excitement of the last week of the Indian Premier League’s first stage where the qualification scenario keeps altering with each outcome, many would feel Monday night will hardly matter in the eventual outcome.

However, both Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders will know that there is a lot riding on the result at the Narendra Modi Stadium for their team in the final standings.

Must-win situation

Titans will again find themselves in a must-win situation to keep its hopes of a miraculous entry into the playoffs for the third time in as many seasons.

Knight Riders, meanwhile, need a win in its remaining two games to ensure a top-two finish and enjoy the advantage of an additional opportunity to enter the final.

Shreyas Iyer’s in-form outfit will be hoping to seal it with a game to spare, that too against a team that has struggled to find the combination right through the season.

Having used 23 players — the most by a team this season — Titans have struggled to get going. But their captain Shubman Gill, a former Knight Riders himself, will be hoping to continue from his hundred in the last outing with another strong performance while leading against his former team.

If Gill and B. Sai Sudharsan continue their heroics at the top, Titans will be hoping for Rashid Khan to deliver the knockout punch against the table-toppers.

Knight Riders will be tempted to pair Rahmanullah Gurbaz, a former Titans player, at the top with Sunil Narine in place of England’s Phil Salt, who is set to join his national squad after the league stage.