8:36pm The rain seems to be at its heaviest yet. Not sure if that inspection at 8:45pm local time will be happening.
S P: “How’s the drainage at Eden and how fast can we get back to play if the rain stops…Shashwat?” — Drainage should be good. Not sure of the exact time frame but since the whole ground has been covered (again), the mop-up operation might not take a lot of time. We have gotten word that there will be an inspection at 8:45pm local time. For now, the covers still firmly in place, with the rain still falling.
Swaroop : “During last year’s IPL this very same fixture at Eden Gardens was washed out due to rain but after PBKS had finished their innings and KKR had barely begun theirs. Hopefully lightining doesn’t strike twice literally and figurative speaking!”
Saurabh: “Any update? From people around, if it’s going to be a washout, so that we can plan ahead!!” — Only if anyone could predict the weather…
8:10pm Some good news, folks. The covers are being removed, one by one. Seems like the rain has stopped too. Well, scratch that. A few spots of rain still visible. But the covers are in the process of being peeled off. Looks like we were too early to the party. Covers coming back on.
Ashwin: “Without a doubt Sameer Rizvi.Two POTM awards in the first two matches and both when the team was struggling in the powerplay”
8:03pm Shahrukh Khan is at the ground and when his face comes up on the giant screen, there is, unsurprisingly, a huge cheer. Covers still on, though, so no change on that front. In the meantime, do chip in with who you think has been the standout player of the season so far.
Sowmya : “At park street (nearly 4 km away from Eden Gardens) it is pouring heavily and yours truly won’t risk getting to the ground. Let us prepare mentally for a wash out !” — Well, that is not the update we wanted to here. Fingers crossed the rain abates enough for play to resume.
7:48pm Uh-oh, the rain has gotten heavier and the covers are coming on. Ground staff scurrying to get the covers in place. The whole ground can be covered here, but because they have now gone off, they might not be able to come back on until the rain fully stops now. Full ground covered now, for what it is worth.
As we wait for the rain to relent, the time might be ripe to indulge into this piece of Bartlett, and how he might end up becoming an X-Factor for PBKS, both with the ball and as a late-order basher.
