Ahead of the knockout stages of the 2023 ICC World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) have confirmed that reserve days will be used for both the semi-finals and the final, should there be rain interruption during those matches.
“Both semi-finals and the final can use a reserve day should a result be unable to be reached due to weather,” the apex cricket governing body stated.
When Will Reserve Day Be Used?
The reserve day will come into play only if there is no possibility of having a minimum of 20 overs of play for each team. In case the match can be reduced to 20 overs per side, the reserve day will not be used.
What Does the Weather Forecast Say?
The first semi-final will be played in Mumbai on Wednesday (15 November), where hosts India will be up against New Zealand. The chances of precipitation are as good as nil, with weather.com showing there is only a 3% chance of rain during the match.
In the second semi-final, South Africa and Australia will compete in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, on Thursday (16 November). The chances of rain are significantly higher on this occasion, ranging from 54% during the day to as high as 75% at night.
The final, which will be played in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (19 November), looks certain to be a dry affair. The chances of rain during that match are between 0-1%.
What if the Reserve Day Is Also Washed Out?
Though it is very unlikely, in case the reserve day is also washed out, the team who finished higher on the league phase standings – India in the first semi-final, and South Africa in the second semi-final – will qualify for the final.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)