9:21 pm Luke Ronchi is seen chatting with the on-field umpires in the middle, surrounded by both team captains and coaching staff. And there are the handshakes between the captains and the officials. The match has been officially called off, and the points will be shared. It's been a tough day for the fans; after a long wait, the rain ultimately had the final say. The outfield remains damp with numerous wet patches, and while the groundsmen did their absolute best to prep the field, it was simply too much of a race against time. We move on to the next game tomorrow. That is all the action from us today; thank you for sticking with us over the last few hours. See you tomorrow!

9:15 pm Furqan: "What's the update" It's much of the same out there, Furqan. There is plenty of movement near the pitch, and from the live feed we can see the area, the off-side for a right-handed batter, is still under wraps. It looks like that cover is finally coming off now, as the groundstaff are busy pulling that heavy, wet sheet away. And there it goes; it's finally removed!

8:55 pm The super soppers have finally made their way onto the field for the first time since the rain stopped to help with the drying process. One part of the main pitch cover have also been removed. All eyes are on the center wicket as the groundstaff move busily around the pitch area. We are still waiting on an official update or word from the ground. It is officially a race against time now!

8:40 pm The two large covers at either end of the pitch are being removed, leaving only the pitch and the square itself still under protection. While the major puddles seem to have drained, several wet patches remain on the surface. Drying those out in time could be a challenge as we approach the final cut-off time.

8:36 pm One section of the large covers protecting the square is finally coming off. It's the first bit of good news we've had, though it's only halfway for now. In the meantime, the roller has already started working on the nearby areas.

8:30 pm Right, we have 15 minutes to go until the next official update. Let's hope for some positive news from the ground. The staff are still working tirelessly to clear water from the covers near the pitch, with the next official inspection scheduled for 8:35 PM local time. The two on-field umpires are seen strolling across the field, using heavy footsteps to test how much water is held in the grass. With every step the umpires and groundstaff take, I can see water splashing up from the surface. Let's see what the official word is shortly.

8 pm Dr. Fahad: "I live 3 kilometers away from Qaddafi Stadium n there is No rain here from last 30 minutes or so.." Thanks for the update, Fahad. The next official update is scheduled for 8:45 PM local time. The groundstaff are working tirelessly to clear puddles from both the covers and the outfield. As the umpires mentioned earlier, after consulting with the groundsmen, they are unable to use the heavy super soppers inside the playing area at the moment, which is why the field preparation is taking a bit longer.

7:52 pm Umpires, Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob: "As you can see in the background, there is a lot of water on the covers. The ground staff are working very hard using manual super soppers to dry the main areas, especially where there are puddles. We are very optimistic and hopeful. We might have at least a five-over game, but it depends on how the situation improves. They are focusing on removing water from the most important areas. Before the rain, the ground was in perfect condition. After this much rain, if teams are expecting a perfect field, that won't be possible. Our best effort is to get it to at least 50% readiness. We had a discussion with the ground staff. At the moment, they have limited resources because they can't use the large super soppers on the playing field; they have to protect the surface for games over the next four or five days here. Instead, they are using manual soppers to take water off the covers. It will take a while, but in the background, you can see they are using the large equipment outside the playing area. They are checking if that affects the surface; if not, they may bring it in. There is a lot of wind blowing now, which will definitely help us. The staff told us that if there is no more rain, they need about an hour and a half to two hours. We are hopeful that in the next 30 minutes, we will be in a better position to say exactly how much more time is needed. [When is the cut-off for a five-over match?] The cut-off time is 9:46. For a five-over game, including the 10-minute break between innings, it's actually 9:40."

Ibrahim: "What's the cut off time when will we starts losing overs " The cut-off time is 9:45 pm local time. And we will start losing overs at 7:45 pm.

7:25 pm The groundstaff have begun clearing the water puddles from the covers, and there is a flurry of activity across the field. The players have also made their way out, chatting amongst themselves as they, and we too, wait for further updates.

Sunaif Riaz: "Correct me if I am wrong but are there no supper soppers available?" Didn't see any yet.

7:10 pm It looks as if the rain has stopped, or at least the downpour has eased significantly in the last few minutes. However, large puddles are visible across the outfield, and the areas beyond the boundary advertisement boards are completely flooded. There is some movement around the large covers protecting the square, and the ground staff are out alongside the match officials. Interestingly, only one umbrella is visible between them at the moment.

6:55 pm Nothing has changed in Lahore; it's still raining out there. As Ramiz Raja explained on the live feed, it was a sudden downpour that drenched the Gaddafi Stadium and its surroundings within minutes. It doesn't look promising at the moment, but we'll keep waiting for the sake of the game and our love for the sport.

Ali Hassan: "Hoping for match to start but it looks pretty impossible. yesterday it was raining cats and dogs here in Rawalpindi. Started at 11o 'clock on Sunday and rained complete day until 10 at night yesterday. That too heavily. I reckon that rain system has reached lahore as Pindi is clear today from rain "

Hassan: "@Saad, Lahore's weather is always unpredictable like this. Google will show Sunny But it will be raining cats and dogs. "

Saad: "Bruv Google is telling 10% precipitation in Lahore...how is it raining heavily at Gaddafi stadium? Wanted to watch only coz of Babar...Let the match beginnnnn " I was just as baffled by the comments in the feedback section about the weather, especially since the weather app was showing the exact opposite. Then I've had confirmation from Danyal, and the live feed is now showing it's still raining quite heavily. I guess you can't always believe everything you see online, eh!

6:35 pm It's still raining at the stadium. The pitch and the square are currently under covers, and the toss has been officially delayed.

Munib: "Tone down the drama a bit, standing right in front of the stadium and its raining, a delayed start is on the cards, of course it depends on how fast the groundstaff was in covering the pitch" It's all part of the drama, Munib. We are just living with it.

There is some disappointing news for the fans: it's currently raining heavily in Lahore, as Danyal has just informed me. It's not a great sight for cricket lovers, and it looks like we may be in for a long wait today, unless the weather gods decide to be a bit more lenient with us.

Shadow-Shell: "Wow! That's so many controversies for one season and we're not even one week in. I've read the article about there's no such thing as a normal PSL season. But I didn't realise it's this crazy"

6:22 pm On the field, Peshawar Zalmi started their campaign with a bang by chasing down a massive 214 with five wickets to spare. And for their opponents, Islamabad United opened their season with a loss against Multan Sultans. While it's still early in the tournament, now is the ideal time to settle on the best playing XI and get some valuable points on the board.

6:15 pm This new season has certainly had its share of headlines already - from match balls turning pinkish-maroon and ball-tampering event to penalty runs being conceded at clinical moments. We've also seen Fakhar Zaman handed a ban, uninvited guests in hotel rooms, and, of course, the high-profile Twitter saga involving Naseem Shah and the PCB.

6:10 pm Hello and good evening, everyone. Welcome to ESPNcricinfo's live ball-by-ball coverage of match number 7 in PSL Season 11. It's Islamabad United taking on Peshawar Zalmi, live from Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. After a one-day break, the PSL returns, promising plenty of action and drama.