Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have voiced strong disappointment over the IPL’s decision to amend its rain-interruption rule midway through the tournament — a move they feel came too late to save their playoff hopes.
Earlier this week, the IPL Governing Council announced an extension of the permitted time to complete rain-affected matches, allowing up to 120 minutes of extra time for the final nine league games. Previously, the rule only allowed an hour beyond the scheduled finish time for league matches, and two extra hours for playoff fixtures.
In an email sent to all franchises, IPL COO Hemang Amin stated that the new rule was introduced due to “several matches being at risk of rain” because of the early onset of the monsoon season.
However, KKR CEO Venky Mysore wasn’t pleased with the timing of this decision. In his response to the league’s official communication, he questioned why the provision wasn’t enforced from the moment the tournament resumed after its temporary suspension on May 9, citing inconsistency in how the rules were applied.
The frustration comes after KKR’s match against RCB on May 17 in Bengaluru was abandoned without a ball bowled. The encounter was supposed to kick off the resumed leg of the IPL 2025 season following the break due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.
Thousands of fans had gathered at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, many hoping to catch a glimpse of hometown legend Virat Kohli, recently retired from Test cricket. Unfortunately, non-stop rain meant the teams never even made it to the middle. The match was officially called off at 10:26 PM — 30 minutes before the existing cut-off of 10:56 PM — and both sides shared a point.
That solitary point proved costly for Kolkata. With the playoff race tight, the washout effectively knocked them out of contention.
Mysore emphasized that had the new two-hour extension been in place earlier, the teams might have had a window to play a five-over-per-side contest, which could have changed the playoff equation entirely.
With their playoff dreams washed away quite literally, KKR have made it clear — consistency and fairness in rule enforcement matter, especially in a league as competitive and prestigious as the IPL.
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