New Delhi: The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an updated weather bulletin for the first T20I between India and Afghanistan scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, warning that the ongoing monsoon could play a decisive role in whether the match gets played as planned.
As of Tuesday afternoon, weather conditions in the national capital are predominantly cloudy with temperatures hovering around 32 to 34 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels have remained high at over 80 per cent due to persistent moist air moving in from the Bay of Bengal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated scattered rain activity is likely in and around the city, with the probability of a thunderstorm increasing during the afternoon and early evening hours.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium, historically one of India's premier cricket venues, has seen its share of weather-related disruptions in recent years. Pitch curator Rajesh Bhardwaj and the stadium management team have been monitoring conditions closely. Drainage systems have been tested and are expected to hold up well if moderate rain occurs, but a prolonged downpour could still force a delay or, in the worst case, a full abandonment of the match.
Cricket administrators will closely track the weather in the hours leading up to the toss, which is expected in the late afternoon. A revised toss time or even a shortened format — such as a single-innings game reduced to 10 overs per side under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method — remains on the table if rain interferes significantly. Rain interruptions earlier in the series, particularly against teams accustomed to drier sub-continental conditions, tend to disrupt batting rhythm and leave little margin for experimental line-ups.
Afghanistan, making their consistent push into international T20 cricket, will hope for clear skies to showcase their pace-spin combination on a surface that traditionally offers bounce and carry early on. India, too, will be eager for a flat track to give their star batters like Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya the best possible environment to fire.
Spectators holding tickets are advised to check the latest updates from the BCCI before heading to the ground, as the forecast remains volatile. The stadium authority has assured that no decision to call off the match will be taken lightly and that all contingency plans, including reserved reserve days, will be activated only as a last resort.
