Before the highly anticipated Royal Derby took place on the eve of the highly anticipated IPL 2024 Eliminator match between the third-ranked Rajasthan Royals and the Royal Challengers Bangalore—who made an incredible comeback with six straight wins to reach the playoffs on net run rate—a notable development took place. The Gujarat Police detained four guys earlier this week at the Ahmedabad airport on suspicion of being involved in terrorist activities.
The Times of India reported that the Indian cricket team (RCB) canceled their practice session in Ahmedabad only because of a heatwave. This decision disproved other theories that were floating around, such as worries over Virat Kohli’s safety.
Anil Patel, the Gujarat Cricket Association secretary, confirmed that there was no threat from terrorism and revealed the true reason for the cancelation, which was very different from what was first thought. When RR and RCB first started practicing, the Gujarat College field was assigned to them both.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore practice window was originally set to run from 2 to 5 p.m., but it was then moved to 3 to 6 p.m., taking into account Ahmedabad’s summertime daylight hours, which extend until approximately 6:30 p.m. Patel revealed that the current heat wave in the city was the reason RCB chose to cancel their practice session. Furthermore, Patel stated that they gave RCB the choice to use the indoor facilities at the GCG or the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, but RCB turned down the invitation.
Also read: RCB’s Innings Highlights vs. RR in IPL Eliminator
No threat of terrorism existed. We had scheduled practice sessions on the Gujarat College field for both the Rajasthan Royals and the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Since Ahmedabad’s summer light lasts until 6.30 pm, the RCB’s scheduled practice hours were shifted from 2 to 5 pm to 3 to 6 pm.
The current heat wave in the city caused Royal Challengers Bangalore to postpone their practice session. We had informed the Royal Challengers Bangalore that they could use the indoor practice facilities there or at the Narendra Modi Stadium. But the heatwave made RCB reluctant to practice,” said Patel.
It was made clear that a news conference was never scheduled in front of the Eliminator, per the same report that the TOI compiled.
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