India vs South Africa: What happens if rain washes out T20 World Cup final today

Photo: AFP

As India aim to end their 17-year-long wait to lift the coveted trophy, South Africa looks to make history by winning the T20 World Cup for the first time on Saturday evening.

The match is set to today, and will be played in Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados in the West Indies.

Fans are at the edge of their seats ahead of this highly-anticipated game. However, after rain stopped play in the semifinal on Thursday, cricket fanatics have one question on their minds – will rain wash out the final today?

Let's take a look at the weather forecast for June 29:

In the morning, the weather is expected to be cloudy, windy and humid with a thunderstorm hitting parts of the country. There is a 44 per cent chance of precipitation, with 98 per cent cloud cover. Later, in the afternoon, cloud cover is expected to increase to 99 per cent, while chances of rain will also go up to 46 per cent.

Today evening, the weather will be mostly cloudy with a thunderstorm striking parts of the country. It will also be humid. There is a 44 per cent chance of precipitation, with 91 per cent cloud cover.

So, while there are chances of it raining in Barbados today, the International Cricket Council has specified that "the umpires shall aim to maximise play on the scheduled day of the match in order to achieve a result on that day, as if there was no Reserve Day available".

Umpires will first attempt to complete play on the scheduled day by using extra time and possible even reducing the required number of overs. However, if play has not resumed by the cut-off time, the game will be abandoned and shall resume on the Reserve Day, June 30.

If the match will continue to be played on the Reserve Day (which is June 30, for the final), the game will continue from the last ball that was bowled on Thursday.

So, for example, if rain interrupts the game at 9 overs, and umpires reduce the number of overs to 17, but rain does not allow play to recommence – the match will resume on the Reserve Day at 20 overs.

However, if in the same scenario, play recommences after the number of overs is reduced, but has been interrupted by rain again – then the match will resume on the Reserve Day with the number of reduced overs (17, in this example).