The heavy rain also caused a roof leak at the stadium
30 May, 2023
PHOTO: AFP
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was hailed as an architectural marvel when it was opened in 2020. However, the stadium's structural flaws were exposed when heavy rain forced the IPL 2023 final to be rescheduled from Sunday to Monday.
The rain also interrupted the final on Monday and caused water to pool on the outfield, requiring the ground staff to take measures to dry the field.
Social media users criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), despite being financially well-off, for using traditional methods like sponges to dry the outfield.
What happened to this state of art technology?#IPL2023Finals pic.twitter.com/bkWzQT5PxD
— Mahua Moitra Fans (@MahuaMoitraFans) May 29, 2023
What happened to this state of art technology?#IPL2023Finals pic.twitter.com/2Yq4pvw7CW
— Nimo Tai (@Cryptic_Miind) May 29, 2023
World's Richest cricket board 😭#IPL2023Finals pic.twitter.com/iZMTbxbgTk
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) May 29, 2023
In contrast, social media users also highlighted an instance where the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) employed a helicopter to dry the outfield during the eliminator match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018 in Lahore.
IPL VS PSL#CSKvsGT pic.twitter.com/8EuGAO9Dsc
— Ali Rajpoot (@alirajpoot9978) May 29, 2023
The heavy rain also caused a roof leak at the stadium. Some fans were left drenched as water poured down onto them. The incident has raised questions about the safety of the stadium.
World's biggest And World Class Cricket Stadium is leaking. $100 Million was wasted to construct this ground 😂😶. #IPL2023 #IPL2023Final pic.twitter.com/M4PZNu8gId
— Shaharyar Ejaz 🏏 (@SharyOfficial) May 29, 2023
The incident has also raised concerns about India's ability to host major sporting events. The country is due to host the 2023 World Cup, and the structural flaws have shown that there are doubts over the stadium’s ability to host the event safely.
The match eventually resumed and Chennai won their fifth IPL title, after Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and four off the final two balls as Chennai chased down their revised target of 171 in 15 overs with five wickets to spare in a rain-hit final, which went past 1.30 am local time Tuesday on a reserve day in Ahmedabad following a washout on Sunday.
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