Chasing 46 runs to win in five overs, Phoebe Litchfield's 38 from 15 balls powered the Thunder to 0-43 from 2.5 overs.
The scheduled early fixture on the double-header between the Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat was washed out.
And while rain was falling - and had been for a quarter-hour - in the late game, umpires suddenly called off Friday night's contest, leaving the Thunder stunned.
"Disappointed," Litchfield told Fox Sports.
"It's a shame ... it's pretty disappointing."
Adelaide Strikers captain Tahlia McGrath said umpires faced a difficult call.
"Tough one," she said.
"The rain eased up but the ball was slippery, the umpires made the call."
Litchfield's brazen batting lifted the Thunder to the cusp of a win that would have lifted them from seventh on the ladder.
Their run chase started brightly with 13 runs from the opening over as rain fell again.
Litchfield then blazed four consecutive fours from Darcie Brown and came within metres of a fifth when a long drive fell just short of the rope.
The lefthander edged through the vacant slips for a fifth boundary from the eventful over of Brown (0-22).
The Thunder were 0-35 after two but would face just five more balls before the controversial finish.
Earlier, Adelaide's Laura Wolvaardt hit 22 from 13 balls in the home side's 2-45 from five overs.
Wolvaardt smacked a six and two fours and skipper McGrath's 12 from six balls was a handy finishing flourish.
Five Thunder bowlers delivered an over, with Shabnim Ismail (1-6) and Lucy Finn (1-12) the wicket-takers.
The scheduled early fixture on the double-header between the Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat was washed out.
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