T20 World Cup: The absence of a reserve day for India vs England semifinal explained

The second semifinal of the T20 World Cup between India and England in Guyana is at risk of being affected by rain, bringing focus to the ICC’s playing conditions for weather interruptions in knockout matches. Unlike the first semifinal between South Africa and Afghanistan, the second semifinal does not have a reserve day. This is due to the timing of the matches, with the India vs England game being a day match and the South Africa vs Afghanistan game being a day-night match.

The travel day for the teams making it to the final is on June 28, with the final scheduled to be held in Barbados on June 29. In the case of rain affecting the day-night match between South Africa and Afghanistan, it can spill over to the reserve day on June 27. However, due to June 28 being a travel day, the India vs England match must be completed on the same day. To accommodate this, extra time has been allocated for the second semifinal.

The weather forecast for Thursday morning in Guyana shows an 88% chance of rain and an 18% chance of thunderstorms. If rain interrupts play, the second semifinal will have an additional 250 minutes, allowing umpires eight hours to finish the match. In the event of a match abandonment, the team that finished higher in the ‘Super 8s’ stage will progress to the final. In this scenario, India and South Africa would advance to the title clash, as they were the group toppers in their respective groups.

Overall, the playing conditions for weather interruptions in the T20 World Cup semifinals ensure that a winner will be determined even in the event of rain affecting play. India and South Africa are in a strong position to advance to the final if both matches are unable to produce a result.