By Sreshth Shah
A combination of lightning and rain forced the first abandoned game of IPL 2024 in Ahmedabad on Monday, and in the process confirmed two things: Kolkata Knight Riders’ top-two finish in the league stage and Gujarat Titans’ elimination from playoff contention.
Only a win could’ve kept eighth-placed GT in the hunt, but rain did not even allow for a toss. Such was the storm’s intensity that some floodlights were also affected; banners in the stadium that got torn earlier ended up wrapping the floodlights in such a way that they needed to be manually removed.
GT’s task was uphill anyway. With the season’s lowest net run-rate of -1.063, they were only mathematically alive as even two big wins in their last two games could’ve still left them short. KKR were almost assured of a top-two finish courtesy their dominating net run-rate of 1.428 after 12 games, but a 19th point in their tally sealed that.
This is the first time that GT have not qualified for the IPL playoffs since they joined the competition before the 2022 season. They have a consolation game against Sunrisers Hyderabad next on May 16.
Monday’s game could’ve given KKR a chance to ease Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the wicketkeeper-batter, into the XI. Gurbaz is the likely replacement in their XI once Phil Salt leaves to join his national team camp.
For KKR, their next aim is to finish the league stage at No. 1, something they have never achieved before. If they beat Rajasthan Royals in their last league game on Sunday, they are assured of that. They would also be assured of No. 1 if RR fail to collect two wins in their last two matches, which includes the KKR fixture.
Even if KKR do not finish first, they wouldn’t mind it much. The only two times they finished second on the IPL points table (2012 and 2014), they ended up as IPL champions.
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