Delhi Capitals are getting ready to host defending champions Gujarat Titans in their first home game of the IPL 2023 season at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday. But fickle weather in Delhi-NCR is posing a huge threat over match no. 7 of the IPL 2023 as rain and thunderstorms welcomed both teams on Tuesday morning.

Already one game – Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders – has been cut short due to rain in Mohali over the weekend and if rain doesn’t relent on Tuesday in the Capital, IPL 2023 may witness it’s first washout as well. However, David Warner and Co. will be hoping that play does get underway on Tuesday as they need to bounce back after a 50-run mauling at the hands of Lucknow Super Giants in their first match of the league this season.

There is some good news for the IPL fans in Delhi with the MET department predicting clear skies by evening on Tuesday. Delhi is expected to have a maximum temperature of around 24 degrees in the evening when the match gets underway with a humidity of around 48 per cent. However, there will be 13 per cent cloud cover also in the evening.

The big task for the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) groundsmen is to get the ground ready for the DC vs GT before toss, which will be around 7pm IST. There has been plenty of overnight and early morning rain in Delhi and adjoining regions.

Tuesday’s game will be the first time an IPL fixture has been staged in Delhi since May 2021. The average first-innings score here since the start of IPL 2019 is 170, with three teams winning after batting first, seven wins while chasing and one game which went to a Super Over.

Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals regular skipper and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who is currently recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident last year, will attend his side’s first home match of the IPL 2023 against Gujarat Titans in Delhi on Tuesday, DDCA confirmed on Monday. Delhi Capitals will play their first home game of the season against Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

“There’s good news for our spectators tomorrow. Despite his injury, Rishabh Pant is coming to support his team. He is a star of Delhi (Capitals). I hope spectators will give him a clap that he is coming among his cricketers despite such injury,” said Rajan Manchanda, Joint Secretary, DDCA to ANI news agency.