- By Namrata Vijay
- Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:23 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
KKR vs PBKS IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders, who haven't won a single match in the ongoing season so far and are aiming for a brilliant comeback, will now be worrying about the weather conditions as well as they will lock horns with Punjab Kings during their next match at their home ground on Monday where there are high chances of rain playing a spoilsport in the match. According to AccuWeather.com, there is a high chance of rain affecting the match, increasing the likelihood of abandonment.
The Ajinkya Rahane-led side, which will also face the Lucknow Super Giants in its next match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, will face a similar weather threat and might encounter early-season problems. Talking about deja vu, during IPL 2025, KKR's home match against the same opponent was held on 26th April and was affected by rain, so both teams shared one point each. During that match, Punjab Kings had posted a mammoth target of 201 runs, and KKR had scored seven runs, but then rain played a spoilsport. The match was thus abandoned. The current weather conditions in Kolkata also tell the same story, as it has experienced persistent cloud cover since morning, owing to a low-pressure trough moving from Bihar to Manipur and over North Bengal, Assam, and Bangladesh.
“The state is likely to witness another round of Kalbaishakhi storms, with the possibility of hail and thunderstorms from Sunday through Thursday. The intensity and spread of rainfall are expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday," an IMD official was quoted as saying to PTI.
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“The weather is expected to turn more severe on Tuesday, when Kalbaishakhi storms accompanied by winds of 50-60 kmph, lightning, and rain are likely to impact Kolkata and adjoining areas", the official said.
Just a day before the game, heavy afternoon rainfall had canceled both teams' training sessions, as the pitch at Eden Gardens and the outfield remained under cover, with puddles forming on the ground.
Considering the threat of rain, the chances of a full-fledged match are very low, as overs will be reduced.
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To have a match of at least five overs per side to be completed, the match has to start by 10:56 p.m., as it's the last permissible time to get a result.
This means the toss should be held no later than 10:56 p.m.
Even if it's a five-over-per-side match, it will be condensed, and either team will have little time to bounce back, making batting really important.
If it continues to rain and the match cannot take place before the cut-off time, the match will be abandoned, and both teams will share a point apiece.
Ajinkya Rahane-led side's outing last season was also affected by rain, as their clash against RCB was abandoned, disrupting their chances of qualifying for the playoffs, and they thus finished eighth in the points table.