RCB-KKR match reduced to 10 overs per side

The much awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) tie between hosts Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) began after hour-long rain delayed its start at the scheduled time of 4 p.m. The match was reduced to 10 overs each at the Chinnaswamy stadium here on Saturday.

"Each team will play 10 overs, including three of power play, while each bowler can bowl two overs only," an official of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) told reporters after the umpires inspected the pitch and the outfield at 6.15 p.m. though the sky was cloudy.

RCB skipper Virat Kholi won the toss but elected to field first.

In their first encounter on April 11 at Kolkata, RCB beat KKR by three wickets.

Of the seven matches RCB has played so far, it won three away and lost three at home while the seventh against Rajasthan Royals (RR) here on April 29 was called off halfway due to downpour after it posted an imposing 200 for seven wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.

Hoping against hope, about 30,000 frenzied fans, who flocked to the stadium before 4 p.m. to watch a full match (20 overs) on a weekend evening, were relieved that they were getting to see at least a 10-over game.

"We are very disappointed that rains have played spoilsport for the second time this week, as we lost almost three hours of an important game between title holders (KKR) and RCB. Even on Wednesday night, rains denied the hosts a certain win on their home ground against RR, which did not bat," Binoy Kumar, a techie, told IANS in the pavilion.