RR vs KKR, 70th Match at Guwahati, IPL, May 19 2024 - Live Cricket Score

7:42pm: The rain has gotten even more heavy. The covers are being swarmed onto the outfield. The entire playing area should be blanketed in about five minutes.

Tanny: "That last ball to Powell by Bhuvi will haunt RR if this match is washed out"

Niroop : "RR would dearly love to get on the field today evening if it's a reduced match. They wouldn't want to go into playoffs with 4 consecutive losses and no match practice against a red hot RCB"

Dinu: "The situation reminds everyone of yesterday's true hero… the drainage system at KSCA " Yeah, and luck. I stay around 3 kilometres away from the stadium and it was pelting there till about 9:30pm.

SharatOjha: "What are the live visuals from the ground look like ?" At 7:32pm, it's still raining. The square is covered, a few people are standing around but there's no movement. No super sopper yet. Remember, we can afford an hour's delay before overs get reduced. At 7:36pm, the rain has gotten heavier and there are more covers being brought on. Areas around bowlers' run-ups have now been covered.

Here's Sunaadh Sagar, from ESPN India, helping you keep occupied during the break - Elsewhere in Indian badminton, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the Thailand Open with ease, which saw them reclaim their world no.1 ranking and is important for their medal prospects at the Paris Olympics.

George : "Any status on Who is available to play for both teams ?" As of now, the match preview covers the available options

7:15pm: Sunrisers Hyderabad have completed a four-wicket victory against Punjab Kings. So, RR have to win tonight to finish in the top two. What that also means is that the last three league-stage games of the tournament will be of consequence. It's still raining at 7:25pm btw.

Abhilash: "@Mustafa - The team with better NRR will take the second spot before it comes to number of matches won (source - espncricinfo points table page )" Keen eye you've got, Abhilash. But just to clarify NRR will come into play if the teams have an equal number of wins. Most wins in league stage is the primary clause that decides qualification.

Vinod: "What's the weather prediction for tonight?" According to the BBC, there will be thundery showers with light winds. The highest chance of rain is around 9:30pm.

7:05pm: There's been a slight drizzle, a few officials in the middle have umbrellas tucked in their hands rather than over head. Covers still on though. A couple of minutes later, it looks like the drizzle has gotten steady again. Gautam Gambhir is having a chat with Gurbaz, Nitish Rana and Ramandeep Singh in the outfield.

6:55pm: With five minutes to go for the scheduled toss time, bad weather has struck. A sudden drizzle has the groundstaff run across to bring the covers on. The players have to abandon their warm-ups. Just the square has been covered for now. Toss has been delayed due to rain - the announcement comes a minute or two later.

Mustafa Moudi: "Polite Enquire: Suppose SRH wins the current match and this match get abandoned with 1 Point being distributed to both these 2 sides, Who takes the 2nd Spot - SRH or RR ?? Both would have equal points (16) but RR would have more no. of Wins while SRH would have a higher NRR !!" Should be SRH going through. Also, both teams will have eight wins each if SRH win, no?

Pitch and conditions for the last league game for the season - The pitch is almost at the centre at the ground. Square boundaries are 61-62 metres. One straight boundary is longer (71 to 73 metres), other is shorter (56 and 57 metres). The last game here wasn't high-scoring. Matthew Hayden says it's a cracking wicket - a different looking one from the last game. RR got 199 and DC couldn't chase it down last year. The pitch is extremely hard, he says, it's got a good sheen to it. It's got a nice covering of grass, even in the bits where it isn't there, there is sheen and the ball will slide on. Spinners came into play last game. Matt Hayden said he'd bat first.

Abhishek : "What are the chances of a completed match considering the rain around?" Not sure but it's dry for now. Nice atmosphere too at Guwahati, ground's buzzing, fans have begun to pack the stands.

6:45pm: For KKR, the carrot halwas have kept coming. They can have an assortment of halwas if they want given how well they've gone. Nine wins in 13 games, just three losses and one no result, hard for a situation to get more enviable than that. They already have secured a top-two spot and tonight's game can just be a dress rehearsal ahead of Qualifier 1. They can also have Rahmanullah Gurbaz get game time at the top with Phil Salt having left for national duties.

Mohit Arya: "I think RR should let Ashwin open with Jaiswal instead of trying TKC at such crucial time of the tournament, 4 foreign players should be Hettie Powell Boult Burger/Maharaj depending on condition." Sure is a brave call

Opus: "After 2008 season this is first time that two table toppers are playing the last league game. RR had won that season. " It might have been if not for SRH, who look all but certain to win against PBKS. 38 needed off 34 with six wickets in hand, and Harshal's just dropped Abhishek as I type. But let's see, who knows

Vishal Dikshit's preview: Rajasthan Royals search for winning mantra to hold on to second spot

6:30pm: The absence of the need to worry about survival is an inherent benefit to first-world problems. It leaves you in a situation where you have the option of choosing between ordering carrot halwa or kofta rather than running after carrots. In tournament play, securing qualification is that luxury that opens access to all kinds of carroty goodness - Rajasthan Royals earned that in a sizzling first-half this IPL. Eight wins in their first nine games felt like an inevitability and the one loss an aberration. They didn't have to worry about qualification but four losses in a row have pegged them back. Couple that with Sunrisers Hyderabad chugging along and well set to win their ongoing game against Punjab Kings, and RR are in must-win situation if they want to finish in the top two.