Venky Mysore, the CEO of the defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has voiced his displeasure over a mid-season rule change that he believes had a direct effect on his team’s prospects of making the IPL 2025 playoffs. On May 17, when new rain provisions had not yet been implemented, the Knight Riders’ match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was rained out, resulting in their elimination from the competition.
Cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan caused the IPL to be temporarily suspended. On May 17, the league resumed with a match between RCB and KKR in Bengaluru. But because to the persistent rain, no ball could be bowled, and each side received one point.
Days after the washout, on May 20, the IPL Governing Council proposed a rule modification that would add an additional hour of buffer time to all remaining league games and playoffs, bringing the total to 120 minutes. In order to guarantee that more matches might be played in light of the possible monsoon rains, this modification was made effective immediately.
Even a five-over match might start near midnight under the new regulations, which would let a 7:30 PM match to start as late as 9:30 PM without overs being taken away. IPL COO Hemang Amin received an email from KKR chief Venky Mysore outlining his worries.
“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,” he wrote.
The washout ended KKR’s chances of making the playoffs: Venky Mysore
In the past, IPL regulations only permitted an additional 60 minutes to account for weather delays. KKR’s hopes of making the playoffs were dashed when the game was called off at 10:26 PM on May 17, 30 minutes before the deadline, due to the persistent rain at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Due to the lack of a result, the team was in sixth place with 12 points from 13 games, which is less than the 14 points that can be earned to remain in the running.
He noted that rain was expected in Bengaluru on May 17, and that if the 120-minute regulation had been in effect at the time, there might have been an opportunity to play a shorter game, keeping KKR in the running for the playoffs.
The opening match between KKR and RCB on May 17 was clearly in danger of being cancelled owing to rain in Bangalore when the IPL resumed on May 17. The forecast was visible to everyone. Not only was the game ruined, but there might have been a possibility for at least a 5-over-a-side match because of the extra 120 minutes that are now being used. The downpour put an end to KKR’s hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. Such impromptu judgements and inconsistent application of them are inappropriate for a competition of this calibre. You understand why we feel wronged, I’m sure,” Mysore continued.
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