The high-voltage IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 between GT and MI has a cloud hanging over its head quite literally with heavy rain making its way to the Narendra Modi Stadium and delayed the toss.
Defending champions Gujarat Titans take on five-time winners Mumbai Indians in a highly-anticipated showdown in Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Ahmedabad on Friday.
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The high-voltage clash however, has a cloud hanging over its head quite literally with heavy rain making its way to the Narendra Modi Stadium and forcing the ground staff to bring out the covers shortly before toss in the third playoff fixture of the season.
There had been a forecast of rain for the penultimate clash of the 16th season, and Ahmedabad did experience showers on the eve of the GT-MI fixture.
The rain gods then, made their way back to Motera a little over half an hour before toss, the steady drizzle transforming into a downpour and leaving players, match officials and fans wondering if there would be any cricketing action in store or not.
Not looking good. @cricketnext #MIvsGT pic.twitter.com/GSJtXjDZGD
— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) May 26, 2023
The downpour, though, did subside shortly before 7 pm local time and the covers were taken off promptly.
The toss then took place at 7.45 pm, with Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma opting to chase after calling it correctly during the coin flip. Play then started at 8 pm, 30 minutes later that the scheduled start.
Rain 🌧️ scenarios:
➡️ No reserve day for Qualifier 2
➡️ Super Over to decide the winner can begin as late as 12:50 AM
➡️ If no play possible, then GT (table-toppers) will advance#MIvsGT @cricketnext— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) May 26, 2023
According to the IPL playing conditions, there isn’t a reserve day for Qualifier 2. The 20-over contest can be reduced to five-overs-a-side if there’s further weather-forced delays. If a five-over face-off isn’t possible, the winner of the GT-MI clash will be decided by a Super Over that can start as late as 12.50 am local time.
And if there’s no play possible at all, the team that finished higher on the points table at the end of the league stage — defending champions Gujarat Titans in this case — will progress to the final at the same venue where they face four-time winners Chennai Super Kings, whom they suffered a 15-run defeat against in Qualifier 1 in Chennai on Tuesday.
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