The 12th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata faced significant weather disruption on Monday evening.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, KKR were 25 for 2 in 3.4 overs when persistent rain intensified and forced the umpires to halt play and cover the field. The KKR innings had gotten off to a challenging start, with Xavier Bartlett claiming both early wickets to leave the home side under pressure. At the time play was stopped, Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi were at the crease, attempting a cautious rebuild.
The wet conditions at the historic venue, which had been forecast before the match, finally caught up with the action. After a period of heavier showers, the covers were brought on and an official ground inspection was expected later in the evening to determine whether play can resume once conditions improve.
KKR, still seeking their first win of the IPL 2026 season following defeats in their opening fixtures, were up against a PBKS side that had begun the campaign strongly with back-to-back victories. Prior to the interruption, the match promised an intriguing contest between a struggling home side and an in-form Punjab Kings outfit.
The delay due to rain leaves the fixture in a state of uncertainty. Depending on how the weather evolves and how quickly the outfield dries, the match could either resume later under a reduced overs format using DLS calculations or, if conditions do not improve sufficiently, face further delays or even be abandoned.
Current Match Update: KKR 25/2 (3.4 overs) — play stopped due to rain; ground inspection pending.
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