Rain threatening to hit PSL playoffs

DUBAI: A major cloud-seeding operation that was initiated by the UAE authorities two months ago is threatening to upset the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League.

According to reports, more than 50 cloud-seeding operations in less than two months are the reason behind the extraordinary rainfall that has hit Dubai and adjoining areas.

On February 17, heavy rains forced the organisers to abandon the match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi. It was the first time in more than three decades that a cricket match was washed out in Sharjah.

On Sunday, wet weather hit another PSL game this time the decisive encounter featuring Karachi Kings and Islamabad United.

According to locals the current wet spell in the region is highly unusual. And one could see why because even a mega city like Dubai wasn’t fully prepared as constant downpour that began on Sunday afternoon caused major traffic jams in the city.

Both teams — Karachi and Islamabad — were trapped in the traffic jams and even match officials could get to the stadium just minutes before the scheduled start.

The toss had to be delayed and later it was announced that the match has been reduced to 15 overs. Karachi captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Sangakkara admitted that his team, needing a win to qualify for the playoffs, was under pressure.

“If it rains again and is a shortened game, the target is going to be different. There is a lot of pressure, we need to play well. We have Chris Gayle coming in and Mahela (Jayawardene) sits out.”

Meanwhile, the met department is predicting wet weather to continue in the coming days. This doesn’t augur well for the PSL playoffs which begin in Sharjah from Tuesday (tomorrow).

And it seems that it is all because of cloud-seeding which, according to international studies show that rainfall in the UAE has increased between 10-30 per cent over the past few years.

For those who aren’t aware of it, cloud seeding is a form of weather modification. It is a way of changing the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud. In layman’s terms: It causes rain.