Virat Kohli pictured during the Indian team’s training session ahead of its World Cup opener against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.
(B A Raju/BCCL Chennai)
Saturday, October 7: The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has kicked off in India, and the host nation is gearing up for its first match against old rivals Australia on Sunday, October 8. While excitement abounds for India’s opening game, concerns linger about the potential interference of retreating monsoon rains.
In its most recent update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has hinted at the possibility of scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rains, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and isolated heavy downpours (64.5 mm-115.5 mm), across Tamil Nadu — especially its ghat areas — from Sunday to Wednesday, October 8-11.
Some of this rainfall may even spill over to the coastal city of Chennai, the venue for this highly anticipated match, where the IMD has predicted both rains and thunderstorms.
According to The Weather Channel’s hourly projections for Chepauk, the locality housing the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, the rain probability ranges between 12-17% throughout the match hours.
Furthermore, the afternoon temperatures are expected to reach around 32°Cgradually dropping to 29°C after sunset. Humidity levels are anticipated to stay just below 80% before sunset, rising slightly above that threshold afterwards. The skies will remain partly cloudy, with a projected cloud cover of up to 30% through the day.
These forecasts suggest that major rain-related interruptions during the game are improbable, but possible nevertheless. What’s guaranteed is that the prevailing weather conditions will definitely influence the match dynamics, with the hot and humid environment likely to render the pitch dry and dusty.
This scenario could work in favour of spin bowlers, as the ball is inclined to grip and turn more. However, the slightly increased humidity post-sunset might further impact the ball’s behaviour and grip for the bowling team.
All in all, as cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the World Cup showdown between India and Australia, it seems the weather may play a supporting role rather than a disruptive one, adding an intriguing twist to make the match an even more compelling spectacle for fans worldwide.
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