A dazzling opening partnership and a towering total from Punjab Kings were left in vain as a fierce thunderstorm forced the abandonment of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Saturday night.
In a rare move this season at Eden, Punjab Kings opted to bat first after winning the toss — and made the most of it. A scintillating 120-run opening stand between youngster Priyansh Arya and the explosive Prabhsimran Singh propelled PBKS to a commanding 201/4 on a surface described by both camps as “very dry” and “extremely slow.”
However, just as Kolkata’s chase began, a sudden downpour accompanied by strong winds and flying debris halted play after only one over. Despite spirited efforts by the ground staff, persistent rain made a resumption impossible. After an extended delay — crossing the one-hour cutoff before overs could be deducted — the match was officially abandoned, with both teams sharing a point apiece. Punjab, having built a strong platform, were visibly frustrated by the outcome.
Punjab’s innings was defined by the sparkling partnership between Arya and Prabhsimran, who clinically dismantled the KKR bowling attack. Arya looked sublime from the outset, threading cover drives and punishing anything loose, while Prabhsimran provided steady support before cutting loose.
The openers raced to 43/0 inside four overs and finished the powerplay at a strong 56/0. Although spin briefly stemmed the flow of runs, with just 21 runs coming across the next four overs, Arya shifted gears seamlessly, bringing up his half-century in just 27 balls. The 100-run stand came up in the 11th over, highlighted by a rare 22-run over off Sunil Narine — the third-most expensive over of his T20 career. Arya eventually fell for a dazzling 69 off 35 balls to Andre Russell, but had already provided PBKS with the perfect launchpad.
Prabhsimran, after a steady start, exploded in the second half of his innings, smashing 48 runs off his final 15 balls, including a sensational switch-hit six off Narine. His 83 off 49 deliveries was a masterclass in controlled aggression.
While the middle order couldn’t fully capitalize — with Shreyas Iyer (25 off 16) and Glenn Maxwell (7) falling cheaply and Marco Jansen struggling at No. 5 — PBKS still posted an imposing 201/4, a total made even more daunting given the sluggish nature of the surface.
Marco Jansen bowled the solitary over for PBKS, conceding just five runs before the weather turned chaotic. In mere minutes, the outfield was waterlogged, the covers flew into the stands, and swirling debris created a surreal scene, forcing the inevitable abandonment.
Brief scores:
Punjab Kings 201/4 in 20 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 83, Priyansh Arya 69; Vaibhav Arora 2-34, Andre Russell 1-27)
Kolkata Knight Riders 7/0 in 1 over (Sunil Narine 4*, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 1*)
Match abandoned due to rain.
(With IANS inputs)
