Drizzle disrupts KKR, RCB practice ahead of IPL opener; rain threat looms over match
Kolkata, Mar 21 (PTI): A steady drizzle in the evening brought premature end to evening practice sessions of Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the eve of their IPL 2025 opener at Eden Gardens here on Saturday.
Practice began as scheduled at 5pm, but rain set in around 6pm, bringing the ground staff into action while the players had to pack up.
Fortunately, Eden Gardens is one of the few venues with full ground covers, ensuring the playing surface remained protected.
The Indian Meteorological Department's New Alipore office has issued an "orange alert" for Friday and Saturday, warning of thundersqualls, gusty winds, lightning, hailstorms, and moderate rainfall across several districts, including Kolkata.
"Thundersqualls with gusty winds, lightning, hailstorms, and light to moderate rainfall are likely in Jhargram, Purba and Paschim Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, and Howrah on Friday," the IMD stated.
For Saturday, the forecast includes thunderstorms with gusty winds, lightning, and moderate rainfall in Nadia, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Purba Bardhaman, and North and South 24 Parganas.
The match has a 7.30pm start, with the toss scheduled for 7pm.
A glittering opening ceremony featuring Shreya Ghoshal and Disha Patani among others is planned at 6pm, but it remains to be seen if the weather plays a spoilsport.
According to IPL regulations, the league-stage matches have a one-hour extension window, meaning the cut-off time for a five-over match is 10:56pm, with play needing to conclude by 12:06am.
Kolkata has already experienced rain disruptions in the lead-up to the season opener, with a KKR intra-squad practice match being washed out after just one innings.
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Karnataka BJP chief urges Speaker to revoke suspension of 18 MLAs
Bengaluru, Mar 22 (PTI): Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Saturday urged Speaker U T Khader to withdraw the suspension order of 18 legislators.
The BJP MLAs were suspended for six months from the Assembly on Friday. They protested against the four per cent reservation bill for Muslims in public contracts, and climbed on the podium where the Speaker was in the seat and threw papers on him.
Addressing reporters at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan, Vijayendra said, "We urge the Speaker to revoke the suspension. We also condemn the decision to suspend BJP legislators, which is entirely illegal, unconstitutional, unilateral, and arbitrary."
The Shikaripura MLA stated that the BJP opposes the government’s decision to grant reservations as "an appeasement to minorities."
"We will fight against this bill both inside and outside the House and take it to a logical conclusion," he said.
Vijayendra also announced the launch of a statewide awareness campaign against the bill, minority appeasement, and what he described as "the humiliation of Hindus."
