The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council modified the playing conditions on Tuesday, allowing the remaining nine league games of the current season an extra 120 minutes. The decision was introduced to combat rain delays, which lately has been a common occurrence. The previous rule permitted one additional hour beyond the regular finish time for league matches and two hours during the playoffs.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the defending champions but already out of contention, were not pleased with the rule change introduced in the middle of the tournament. The franchise raised their point with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) expressing that if the rule had been in place from the beginning of the season, they might still had a chance to qualify for the playoffs.
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All ten teams were mailed about the rule modification by IPL chief operations officer Hemang Amin, who explained that it was made because "several matches are at risk of being affected by rain due to the early onset of monsoon." KKR CEO Venky Mysore, however, responded to the email by criticizing the decision's timeliness and questioning whether it could have been in place when the 2025 season began on May 17.
"While these mid-season changes to the rules may be necessary under the circumstances, one would have expected more consistency in the way such changes are being applied," Mysore wrote as reported by Cricbuzz.
Notably, when the league resumed last Saturday, the opening game was between RCB and KKR. However, the Bengaluru match was abandoned even before a ball could be bowled. As a result, KKR were eliminated from the playoff race.
"When the IPL re-started (on May 17), it was clear that the first game on May 17 KKR vs RCB was at high risk of being interrupted due to rain in B'lore. The forecast was there for all to see. Not only was the game washed out, but the additional 120 minutes now being applied may have provided a chance of at least a 5 over a side game (sic).
"The washout ended KKR's chances of making the playoffs. Such ad hoc decisions and inconsistencies of applying them are not appropriate for a tournament of this standing," Mysore said, adding, "I am sure you also understand why we feel aggrieved."
The report also mentioned that a few other teams also voiced their disapproval of the mid-season regulation change, thus KKR is unlikely to be fighting alone. "The general impression is that it would set a wrong precedent," it stated.
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