Sport events in India left at the mercy of weather gods

The final of IPL7 played at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore was a cracker of a game with 199 runs being chased down by Kolkata Knight Riders who were considered to be the minnows at the start of the game. Kings XI Punjab, the favourites put up a tough fight but Manoj Pandey with his valiant knock of 95 made sure that KKR lifts the trophy.

But amidst all this euphoria, one thing that needs to be given a thought is why isn't weather also given a priority while deciding the venue of the game? It is to be noted, when the IPL final was shifted from Mumbai to Bangalore, weather agencies across the country including  Skymet Meteorology Division in India had sent out weather alerts of rain in Bangalore during the IPL final. However, it was just a matter of chance that rain did not happen and the entire game went through without any hindrance and the audience got a chance to enjoy the game.

The point that is to be highlighted is that in such mega events the interest of the stake holders, audience in this case, is at risk. The importance of weather should be attached to the game to be on the safer side. There are plenty of choices in the country in terms of venues and shifting it to a place which is in the firing line of the Monsoon is never a wise move.

Rain in Bangalore

Just before the IPL final, on 31^st May, Bangalore received 14 mm of rain which was accompanied by strong winds. On 2^nd June, the day after the final, the city observed 28 mm of rain. Its adjoining areas like Chitradurga and Ananthapur received 67 and 57 mm of rain, respectively. Most of the weather activity happened in the evening when majority of the IPL games are played.

This clearly shows how much importance is attached to weather when such games are planned. Inclement weather not only acts as dampener for the audience but also leads to revenue loss to the owners and the cricket board.

Let’s hope such events are now planned better, especially when weather forecast is at disposal.