India and South Africa will square off in the T20 World Cup 2024 final on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Rohit Sharma-led Team India will aim to end their long 11-year wait for an ICC trophy, however, the game is likely to be interrupted by rain. While the weather forecast predicts 51 per cent chance of rain, the ICC has taken some extra measures to curb the rain threat on match day. Firstly, a reserve day (June 30) has been alotted in case the match cannot be completed on the scheduled day.
As per ICC’s playing conditions for the tournament, “Every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place, and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.”
If a full game is not possible, both teams must bat 10 overs in order to achieve a result. Having said that, extra 190 minutes have been alotted to get a result on the scheduled day.
If the play has not resumed by the cut-off time on the scheduled day, the match will resume from the same point on reserve that, meaning that there won’t be a fresh start.
If no play is possible on the scheduled day, the game will begin at the same time it was supposed to on the original day. Most importanlty, if the overs are reduced on the scheduled day and played before interruption on the same day, it will begin from the same point on the reserve day.
Example 1: Match starts at 20 overs per side and there is an interruption at 9 overs. Overs are reduced to 17 overs per side and play is about to resume. Before another ball is bowled it rains and play is abandoned for the day. As the match did not resume under the revised overs, the match should continue on the Reserve Day at the original 20 overs per side with the overs reduced if necessary during the Reserve Day.
Example 2: The match starts at 20 overs per side and there is an interruption at 9 overs. Overs are reduced to 17 overs per side and play is about to resume. This time, play starts and after an over has been bowled it rains and play is abandoned for the day. As the match has resumed, it is continued on the Reserve Day at 17 overs per side with the overs further reduced if necessary during the Reserve Day.
