KPL 2019: Bengaluru Blasters-Mysuru Warriors opening game washed out

Ranji Trophy regular Suchith returned with figures of 3/13 in his three overs, reducing Blasters to 88/3 in the 13 overs possible before play was halted at 8.07 pm. As light drizzle persisted for the next one hour, the umpires called off the opening KPL 2019 game at 9.56 pm

Bengaluru: Mysuru Warriors’ left-arm spinner J Suchith impressed in the opening encounter of the Karnataka Premier League (KPL 2019) here on Friday evening (August 16), before rain interrupted the match against Bengaluru Blasters.

Ranji Trophy regular Suchith returned with figures of 3/13 in his three overs, reducing Blasters to 88/3 in the 13 overs possible before play was halted at 8.07 pm. As light drizzle persisted for the next one hour, the umpires called off the game at 9.56 pm.

Rain was on the cards right from the evening, prompting Mysuru to elect to bowl on winning the toss. They began well and were probably the ones praying for the rain to dissipate.

Suchith kept it mostly flat and on a length, and did not give batsmen time to get under the ball nor was he wide enough for the cut. On the rare occasion that he did toss it up, he ensured the ball would dip short of the advancing batsmen. By operating with such control, he accounted for Sharath BR, Rohan Kadam and Jonathan Rongsen.

Kadam, in particular, was a big haul for the spinner as the left-hand batsman was beginning to open up. In fact, Kadam, who scored a record 536 runs in the recently held Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, was looking to take on Suchith when a quickly-dipping delivery did him in for 23 from 20 balls.

With most of the big-hitters out of the way and Nikin Jose (28 not out) finding it difficult to put the boundary balls — even the rare ones — away, Mysuru kept the lid on tight. Just then, rain arrived in a hurry.  

Scheduled close of play, including extension, was 10:46 pm, but weather permitting, Mysuru will have had a shot at chasing a VJD score in five overs. Unfortunately, rain continued to drench the covers, and that was the end of that.