(Sportsmax)- West Indies stars Sunil Narine and Andre Russell were left disappointed as their Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) side saw their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 title defence come to a premature end — not by a rival’s bat or ball, but by the Bengaluru skies.
In a cruel twist, Saturday’s much-anticipated clash between KKR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The result handed both teams a point, which was enough to keep RCB alive and move them to the top of the points table but not enough for KKR, who were officially knocked out of playoff contention.
It was an anticlimactic return for the IPL following a nine-day break brought on by geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan. Fans had hoped for fireworks on the field but were instead treated to dark clouds, wet outfields, and eventually, the handshake that confirmed the inevitable.
With the shared point, RCB climbed to 17 points from 12 matches, boosting their chances of securing a coveted top-two finish, which provides a critical advantage in the playoff structure. KKR, meanwhile, moved to 12 points with just one game left — a total that no longer gives them a mathematical shot at progressing.
For Narine and Russell, the washout was a bitter end to a season that saw moments of brilliance, but they ultimately fell short of consistency.
