Cyclone Arnab Washes Out CHL Night 8: Final League Games Pushed to Friday, Semi-Final Race on Hold
No hockey in Raipur on Thursday night. Cyclone Arnab saw to that.
The Chhattisgarh Hockey League postponed both of its scheduled Night 8 games, the league said on Instagram on Thursday, citing adverse weather across Chhattisgarh and putting the safety of players, officials and spectators first. Both games move to Friday, 30 October. No start times were given in the announcement.
That leaves the semi-final race exactly where it was: undecided, and now squeezed into one day.
Thursday was supposed to be the last night of the league stage. Sanskardhani Strikers were due to face Mainpat Titans, and Chakradhar Champions were due to play Bailadila Bulls. The Titans could have sealed second place. The Champions and the Bulls were fighting over the last semi-final spot. None of it happened.
The table still reads the way it did after Night 7. Nyayadhani Knights sit top on 11 points and are already through. The Titans have 8, the Champions 7, the Bulls 5, the Strikers 4, and the Rajdhani Royals are bottom without a point. Friday’s rearranged games now decide who joins the Knights in Saturday’s semi-finals, and in what order.
This is the second night running the cyclone has interfered. On Wednesday, Night 7 started almost an hour late because of the same weather, before the Bulls beat the Royals 1-0 and the Knights drew 1-1 with the Titans.
Friday was meant to be a rest day. It is not one any more. The semi-finals are still scheduled for Saturday, 31 October, with the final on Sunday, 1 November, but the league has not said whether those dates move. For now, all anyone knows is that Friday decides everything.
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