Rain ends Kolkata’s chase against Punjab in IPL

KOLKATA, India (AP) — Half-centuries from openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya went in vain as Punjab Kings’ Indian Premier League game against Kolkata Knight Riders was abandoned because of rain on Saturday.

Both teams shared one point each. Punjab rose to fourth while defending champion Kolkata stayed seventh.

Punjab made 201-4 and Kolkata was 7 without loss when play was stopped and never restarted.

A thunderstorm blew debris all over the stadium and the ground staff had to hold down the covers with the help of rocks. Match officials finally called off play at 11 p.m. local time as it rained steadily.

Prabhsimran made 83 off 49 balls and Priyansh blazed four sixes and eight boundaries in his 35-ball 69.

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Sunil Narine plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in Kolkata , India, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

The pair shared a 120-run stand off 72 balls. Priyansh reached his half-century off 27 balls, showing plenty of aggression against the pacers while carefully negotiating spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy.

Andre Russell broke the threatening stand with a slow off-cutter that deceived Priyansh, who miscued a pull shot to deep mid-wicket in the 12th over.

Prabhsimran, who started slowly, accelerated when Priyansh was dismissed as Punjab motored to 160-1 in the 15th over before Vaibhav Arora struck in his return spell. Prabhsimran hit Arora’s shin-high full toss but Russell grabbed a good running catch at long-on.

Kolkata pulled Punjab back in the death overs and conceded only 40 runs in the last five overs. Both spinners gave away only 13 runs in two overs. Arora finished with 2-34.