T20 World Cup 2024 Final Rain Rules: What If India vs South Africa Title Match in Barbados Gets Rained Out?

The stage is set for the T20 World Cup 2024 Final, with India, the inaugural champions, facing off against South Africa, who are making their first appearance in the final. The match will take place at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday, June 29.

South Africa reached their first ICC event final by defeating Afghanistan by 9 wickets in the semi-final. They bowled Afghanistan out for the lowest total in a T20 World Cup semi-final, 56 runs, and then chased it down in just 8.5 overs at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad & Tobago on June 26.

India, led by Rohit Sharma, secured their place in the final by beating defending champions England by 68 runs. In a rain-affected match, Sharma scored a crucial fifty, helping set a target of 172. Spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav then took three wickets each, bowling England out for 103 runs at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on June 27.

Now, both teams are headed to Barbados, but the weather is a concern. The Caribbean has been experiencing storms, and even the South African team’s flight was delayed by nearly 6 hours due to rain at Grantley Adams airport.

Many matches in the T20 World Cup 2024, held in both the Caribbean and the USA, have been affected by rain. Some games have been completely washed out without a single ball being bowled, while others have been shortened.

As the final approaches, there is a storm warning for Saturday, June 29. However, there are special rules in place for the final to ensure the match can be completed. Here’s what you need to know about the T20 World Cup 2024 final rain rules:

What Happens if Rain Interrupts or Washes Out the India vs South Africa Final?

If rain interrupts or washes out the match, there is an additional 190 minutes (a little over 3 hours) available to complete the game. To officially count as a match in the knockout stages, at least 10 overs must be bowled to the team batting second, unless a result is reached sooner.

If both teams cannot play a minimum of 10 overs each, the match will be moved to a reserve day.

Is There a Reserve Day for the T20 World Cup 2024 Final?

Yes, there is a reserve day for the final, just like there was for the first semi-final. The reserve day is scheduled for Sunday, June 30. However, specific rules govern how and when the reserve day will be used if the match is washed out on the scheduled day.

How Does the Reserve Day Work?

Firstly, there is extra time of 190 minutes on the scheduled day to try and finish the match. If this time is used up and there is still no result, the match will move to the reserve day.

According to ICC’s playing conditions, every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day, even if it means reducing the number of overs. The match will only be moved to the reserve day if the minimum number of overs to constitute a match cannot be bowled.

If the match starts on the scheduled day but cannot be completed due to interruptions, it will resume on the reserve day from where it left off.

What If the Reserve Day Is Also Washed Out?

If the reserve day is also affected by rain and no result can be achieved, the teams will compete in a Super Over to determine the winner. If the Super Over cannot be completed due to weather conditions, the match will be declared a no result. In this case, India and South Africa will be declared joint winners, and both teams will lift the trophy.

Weather Forecast for Bridgetown, Barbados on June 29 and June 30

The day is expected to be cloudy, breezy, and humid with a few showers and thunderstorms early in the morning and again after noon. During the playing hours, from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM local time, there is a 20% to 47% chance of rain. Thunderstorms are predicted from 3 AM to 5 AM and again from 3 PM to 5 PM. However, during the match, it is likely to be just cloudy, which means the game might not be interrupted.

On the reserve day, the weather is expected to be mostly cloudy and humid with breezy conditions in the morning. There is also a chance of occasional rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

So, as cricket fans eagerly await this thrilling final, the weather could play a significant role. If rain does interfere, the ICC has plans in place to ensure a fair and exciting conclusion to the T20 World Cup 2024.

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