KKR Slams IPL’s Governing Body For Mid-Season Rule Change

In a move aimed at countering the threat of monsoon rain disrupting the final stages of IPL 2025, the league’s Governing Council has decided to tweak the playing conditions—allowing an additional 120 minutes for the remaining nine league matches. It’s a major shift from the original rule, which only gave teams an extra hour to wrap up matches during the league stage, and two hours during the playoffs.

While the change is understandable given the unpredictable weather, the timing of it hasn’t gone down well with some teams—especially Kolkata Knight Riders. The defending champions are understandably frustrated, as they believe their playoff hopes might have stayed alive if this rule had been in place just a few days earlier. In an email to all ten franchises, IPL chief operating officer Hemang Amin explained that the decision was taken because "several matches are at risk of being affected by rain due to the early onset of monsoon." 

But KKR CEO Venky Mysore wasn’t buying that explanation entirely. In his response, he questioned why the rule wasn’t brought in when the league resumed on May 17—especially since weather forecasts clearly showed a high risk of rain in Bengaluru for the RCB vs KKR match, which eventually got washed out without a single ball being bowled. “While these mid-season changes to the rules may be necessary under the circumstances, one would have expected more consistency in the way such changes are being applied,” Mysore said. 

That match on May 17 was the first after the IPL’s brief suspension due to rising cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. Fans packed the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to see Virat Kohli in action, especially after his recent Test retirement, but the evening ended in disappointment as persistent drizzle meant the game never got underway. 

Play was supposed to begin at 7:30 pm, but with overs starting to be lost from 8:30 pm and the cut-off time set at 10:56 pm, the game was eventually called off around 10:26 pm—well before any play could happen. Both teams shared a point, which meant KKR’s slim hopes of making the playoffs effectively vanished. 

Mysore believes that if the extended time window had been available then, there could’ve at least been a short five-over shootout. “When the IPL re-started, it was clear that the first game on May 17 KKR vs RCB was at high risk of being interrupted due to rain in (Bengaluru),” he pointed out. “Not only was the game washed out but the additional 120 mins, now being applied, may have provided a chance of at least a 5 over a side game.” 

He didn’t hold back in criticizing how things were handled: “The wash-out ended KKR's chances of making the playoffs. Such ad hoc decision and inconsistencies of applying them are not appropriate for a tournament of this standing. I am sure you also understand why we feel aggrieved.” 

And KKR may not be the only team feeling that way. According to a Cricbuzz report, a few other franchises have also expressed their displeasure at the mid-season rule tweak. “The general impression is that it would set a wrong precedent,” the report added. As the league nears its climax, the weather continues to play spoilsport—but it’s the timing of decisions off the field that’s stirring up a different kind of storm.

Also Read: Parth Jindal Urges IPL to Shift MI vs DC Clash Amid Rain Threat in Mumbai