Monday’s eagerly awaited IPL fixture between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens in Kolkata was abandoned due to persistent rain after only 3.4 overs, leaving fans disappointed.

With both sides unable to take the field, match officials eventually declared the game a no‑result, awarding each team one point in the league standings. The outcome gave KKR their first point of the season, while PBKS retained a strong position in the early table.

The washout continues to highlight the unpredictable nature of early‑season conditions, where weather can play an outsized role in shaping campaigns.

With every point crucial in the tightly contested 19th edition of the IPL, teams are now refocusing on the forthcoming fixtures to maintain or improve their rankings.

IPL 2026 Standings after Monday’s washout

Here’s how the points table looks after Monday’s abandoned match (matches played, wins, losses, no results, points, net run rate):

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – 2 M, 2 W, 0 L, 0 N/R, 4 pts, NRR +2.501
Rajasthan Royals (RR) – 2 M, 2 W, 0 L, 0 N/R, 4 pts, NRR +2.233
Delhi Capitals (DC) – 2 M, 2 W, 0 L, 0 N/R, 4 pts, NRR +1.17
Punjab Kings (PBKS) – 2 M, 2 W, 0 L, 0 N/R, 4 pts, NRR +0.637
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – 3 M, 1 W, 2 L, 0 N/R, 2 pts, NRR +0.275
Mumbai Indians (MI) – 2 M, 1 W, 1 L, 0 N/R, 2 pts, NRR ‑0.206
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – 2 M, 1 W, 1 L, 0 N/R, 2 pts, NRR ‑0.542
Gujarat Titans (GT) – 2 M, 0 W, 2 L, 0 N/R, 0 pts, NRR ‑0.424
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 2 M, 0 W, 2 L, 0 N/R, 0 pts, NNR ‑1.964
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 3 M, 0 W, 3 L, 0 N/R, 0 pts, NRR ‑2.517

Teams receive 2 points for a win and 1 point for an abandoned/no‑result game. The top four at the end of the league stage will qualify for the playoffs later this season.

Match Preview: Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans

Tonight’s IPL action, Tuesday April 7, resumes with Match 14 as the Delhi Capitals host the Gujarat Titans at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

DC have had an outstanding start to their campaign, winning both of their matches so far with powerful contributions from captain Rishabh Pant and young batting star Sameer Rizvi, who smashed a stunning 90 off 51 balls in Delhi’s recent win over the Mumbai Indians.

Gujarat Titans, however, are still searching for their first victory of the season. With key players such as Shubman Gill and seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami, GT will be looking for breakthroughs both with the bat and the ball to turn the tide in this fixture. With both teams desperate for crucial early‑season points, tonight’s showdown promises an exciting battle under lights.

Watch Live in Afghanistan

Cricket fans in Afghanistan can catch all IPL 2026 matches live and exclusively on Ariana Television. The broadcaster is offering full live coverage of the tournament, with expert commentary and match highlights throughout the season.

As the league stage builds momentum and teams jockey for positioning, every match — and every point — will be crucial on the road to the playoffs and ultimately the IPL 2026 final.

Lucknow Super Giants edged out Sunrisers Hyderabad in a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on Sunday, completing a tense run chase in the final over to register a crucial early-season win.

Batting first, Sunrisers posted a competitive total built around a fluent innings from Heinrich Klaasen, who once again demonstrated his ability to accelerate in the middle overs. He found support from the top order, helping the hosts set what looked like a defendable target on a surface offering some assistance to bowlers.

In response, Lucknow’s chase was steady rather than explosive. Early wickets threatened to derail their innings, but captain Rishabh Pant played a composed and calculated knock, anchoring the innings while rotating strike effectively.

Nicholas Pooran provided a late surge with some aggressive hitting, shifting momentum back in Lucknow’s favour.

The match went down to the wire, with Sunriser’s bowlers applying pressure in the death overs through tight lines and clever variations. However, Lucknow kept their composure, finding the boundaries when needed to cross the line with just one delivery remaining.

The win gives Lucknow Super Giants valuable momentum in the opening phase of the tournament, while Sunrisers Hyderabad will take positives from their batting performance but look to tighten their execution at the death.

Focus now moves to Monday’s fixture which sees Kolkata Knight Riders face Punjab Kings in what is expected to be a high-tempo contest.

Kolkata’s strength lies in their all-round depth, with power hitters and a varied bowling attack capable of adapting to different conditions. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, will be banking on their explosive top order and improved bowling unit to deliver a more complete performance.

Both teams are still shaping their combinations, making this an important match for building rhythm and consistency as the league stage progresses.

Fans across Afghanistan can follow every moment of the IPL live on Ariana Television Network, which holds exclusive broadcast rights for the tournament.

Viewers are also encouraged to stay connected via the social media platforms of Ariana Television and Ariana News for updated match schedules, live coverage details, highlights, and breaking IPL news throughout the season.

A new report released on Monday, 30 March, by Amnesty International has warned that the 2026 FIFA World Cup could expose millions of fans to serious human rights risks, particularly in the United States, where the majority of matches will be held.

The report, titled Humanity Must Win: Defending rights, tackling repression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlights concerns across all three host nations—United States, Canada and Mexico—including threats to freedom of expression, peaceful protest, and the safety of local communities.

According to Amnesty International, the situation is most acute in the United States under President Donald Trump, where it says a “human rights emergency” is unfolding due to aggressive immigration enforcement policies.

The organization cited mass detentions, arbitrary arrests, and widespread deportations carried out by agencies such as US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection.

Amnesty International’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, Steve Cockburn, said more than 500,000 people were deported from the United States in 2025 alone, warning that the erosion of due process has created “a climate of fear” that could affect both residents and visiting fans during the tournament.

The report also raises concerns about the impact of these policies on World Cup host cities, noting that local authorities in cities such as Dallas, Houston and Miami have entered agreements with federal immigration agencies, increasing the risk of racial profiling and undermining trust in law enforcement.

In addition, Amnesty International highlighted previous federal deployments of thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration raids, warning that similar measures during the World Cup could threaten civil liberties.

Beyond the United States, the report points to risks in the other host countries. In Mexico, the deployment of around 100,000 security personnel—including military forces—has raised fears that protests could be suppressed, particularly by activists planning demonstrations linked to disappearances and social justice issues in Mexico City.

In Canada, Amnesty International warned that preparations for the tournament could worsen an already deepening housing crisis, citing concerns that people experiencing homelessness may be displaced, echoing the legacy of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The organization also flagged travel restrictions that could prevent fans from several countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Iran and Senegal, from entering the United States, alongside proposals for intrusive screening measures such as social media vetting.

Amnesty International further warned that restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly across all three host nations could undermine the inclusive spirit of the tournament. It noted that protests—often a feature of global sporting events—risk being repressed, with recent examples including crackdowns on demonstrations in North America.

With just weeks to go before the tournament begins, Amnesty International urged FIFA and host governments to take immediate action to safeguard human rights.

“This World Cup is no longer the ‘medium risk’ tournament that FIFA once judged it to be,” said Cockburn.

“Urgent steps are needed to ensure fans, players, workers and communities are protected, and that the tournament lives up to its promise of being safe, inclusive and respectful of human rights,” he said.

Amnesty International added that while FIFA stands to generate record revenues from the competition, the rights and safety of those involved must remain at the centre of the event.