Rain Drenches IPL Showdown, SRH Clinch Their Playoff Ticket
The weather gods decided to crash the party at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, drenching what was supposed to be an electric IPL faceoff between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans on May 16, 2024. Cricket was nowhere in sight—persistent rain meant not a single ball was bowled. Fans sat anxiously in the stands, holding onto hope as covers came on and off, but their patience went unrewarded. The umpires had no choice but to call it off before the cut-off time of 10:30 pm IST, with even a five-over shootout impossible.
This sudden washout didn’t serve up any on-field drama, but it made things crystal clear in the playoff race. Both teams walked away with one point each, as per the rules. That one point was golden for Sunrisers Hyderabad—it bumped their tally to 15 points from 13 games, enough to become the third team locked in for the playoffs, just behind Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. Captain Pat Cummins, looking relaxed after days of high-pressure games, led SRH to this milestone despite not setting foot on the pitch that evening.
Gujarat Titans’ Season Ends on a Soggy Note
It was a much rougher night for Gujarat Titans. Shubman Gill and coach Ashish Nehra could only watch the rain, knowing it mirrored their season—promising at times, but ultimately frustrating. What’s more, this wasn’t the first time rain spoiled their plans; their last home game against KKR ended the same way, which meant back-to-back washouts to close their campaign.
The Titans had intended to mark their season finale with a statement by wearing lavender jerseys to spotlight breast cancer awareness—a moment that would’ve connected with fans beyond cricket. Sadly, weather snatched that away too. Twice now, plans for those jerseys have been left soaking under stadium covers. For the squad that lifted the IPL trophy in 2022 and were runners-up in 2023, missing out on the playoffs this year stings a little extra.
The playoff picture is a bit clearer after this sodden standoff. Sunrisers fans can breathe easy; they've got a shot at glory even though their last game, a loss to Lucknow Super Giants, was a letdown. Nitish Reddy has been a breakthrough star for them this season, providing hope that SRH have more in the tank when the elimination rounds begin. On the flip side, Gujarat’s chances evaporated with the rain, ending their run with more questions than answers and time now to regroup for next year.
With only Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants still chasing playoff spots, only CSK has a realistic chance at overtaking SRH’s points tally. For now, the focus shifts away from the wet outfield of Hyderabad to the remaining teams scrambling for those prized spots in the next round.
