Rain Wrecks RCB-KKR Toss in Raipur IPL Thriller

Heavy rains in Raipur have thrown a wrench into the IPL 2026 calendar, delaying the high-stakes Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders match at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium. The 57th fixture, slated for a 7:30 PM start, saw no toss by press time due to a soggy outfield and persistent showers. Covers blanketed the field from 4:30 PM amid 30 minutes of steady rain. A brief respite around 6:15 PM allowed partial uncovering, but drizzles forced a rethink. By 6:35 PM, thunderstorms raged, soaking everything anew with super soppers in action. The skies cleared just before 7 PM toss time. Umpires Rohan Pandit, Nitin Menon, and Kaushik Gandhi conducted an initial inspection, with staff mopping up pooled water. Another assessment looms at 8:15 PM. This venue's bowler-friendly tracks could tilt the game. RCB, buzzing from a dramatic last-ball win over Mumbai Indians here, eyes the top spot with seven victories in 11 outings. KKR's four-match winning streak keeps playoff hopes alive, but they need this win. A washout awards one point apiece: RCB to 15 points (second place secure), KKR stuck at 10—a blow to their campaign. As tension mounts, the cricket world watches if play resumes or if rain claims another victim.