Chennai Super Kings vs. Lahore Lions CLT20 Match Abandoned Due to Rain

The tight race to the play-offs in Group A of the 2014 Twenty20 Champions League became a little tighter on Thursday, when the match between Chennai Super Kings and Lahore Lions was abandoned due to heavy rain and lightning. 

The event's official Twitter feed confirmed the news:

The players were greeted by heavy clouds upon arrival in Begaluru. Once the downpour started, the pitch was quickly reduced to little more than mud and puddles. Event organisers shared these images:

A deadline was set to play a reduced five-overs match, but as the intensity of the storm increased, it quickly became clear no cricket would be played on Thursday. Bleacher Report's Freddie Wilde predicted the fixture's fate 30 minutes before organisers:

Both teams will receive two points, which complicates the current standings in Group A. Kolkata Knight Riders have already qualified for the semi-finals with three wins from three matches, and the race for second is between Chennai, Lahore and Perth Scorchers.

Super Kings had the advantage with one win in their first two matches, and they were favoured going into their match against Lahore. Instead, the IPL side will now go into their match against Perth needing a win, and a possible tie-breaker scenario involving Net Run Rate could come into play.

If Chennai beat Perth, the Australians will be out of the tournament, and Lahore will have to beat both Perth and Dolphins and find a way to better Chennai's NRR. Wilde shared this image, detailing the possible scenarios:

The abandonment of this match will make the race for the final play-off ticket more exciting, but it's a shame both teams weren't given the opportunity to prove their merit on the pitch.

Fans were deprived of a fantastic matchup, but event organisers cannot control what the weather will be like on any given day. The CLT20's packed calendar makes it impossible to move matches, so washouts will remain a part of the tournament in its current format.

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