Rain threat looms over IPL 2026 final; who wins if RCB vs GT can't be played?
The possibility of rain has once again become a talking point ahead of an IPL final in Ahmedabad, with weather forecasts indicating a chance of showers during Sunday's title clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans.
The venue witnessed a dramatic weather-affected final in 2023 when rain forced the match onto a reserve day before Chennai Super Kings defeated Gujarat Titans in a shortened contest. Three years later, Gujarat find themselves back in the final with the weather once again under scrutiny.
Yellow alert issued in Gujarat
Ahmedabad woke up to clear skies and temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, but the local meteorological department has issued a yellow alert for parts of Gujarat.
Current forecasts suggest that major disruption during match hours is unlikely, although intermittent rain remains a possibility. Weather conditions have remained unpredictable in recent days, with adverse weather already affecting travel schedules across parts of northern India.
Gujarat Titans eye second IPL title
Gujarat Titans have enjoyed an impressive turnaround after missing the playoffs in recent seasons. Following the departure of Hardik Pandya ahead of the 2024 campaign, the franchise slipped to eighth place before rebuilding and returning to title contention.
They now face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have already beaten Gujarat twice in three meetings this season, including in Qualifier 1.
What happens if rain interrupts the final?
Rain will not immediately lead to the abandonment of the match. Officials will attempt to complete a full game if conditions improve. If delays occur, the number of overs can be reduced, with a minimum five-over contest per side required to produce a result.
For a five-over match to be possible, play must begin before the revised cut-off time, usually around 11:55 PM IST.
Reserve day in place for IPL final
If no play is possible on Sunday due to rain, the IPL final will be moved to the reserve day scheduled for Monday, June 1.
The reserve day exists specifically to ensure that weather disruptions do not decide the championship without every effort being made to complete the match.
If rain prevents any result on both the scheduled day and the reserve day, the IPL playing conditions state that the team finishing higher in the league standings will be declared champions.
In that scenario, Gujarat Titans would be crowned IPL 2026 champions as they finished above Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the league phase standings.
While forecasts currently favour play, memories of the rain-hit 2023 final ensure that weather remains a major subplot heading into one of the biggest matches of the season.