The highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final clash between India and England at Guyana's Providence Stadium is under serious threat of being washed out due to persistent rain in the region. The absence of a reserve day for this crucial match further complicates matters.
Rains threaten to washout India-England Semifinal
According to exclusive reports from Sports Tak, Guyana has been witnessing heavy rainfall for the past 24 hours, with more downpours expected throughout the day. The overcast conditions and waterlogged outfield pose significant challenges for ground maintenance.
Weather forecast
On June 27th, the day of the match, meteorologists predict an 88% chance of rain in Guyana, accompanied by the possibility of thunderstorms. This raises the alarming prospect of the match being abandoned due to inclement weather. While the ICC has allocated an additional 250 minutes for the match, there is no designated reserve day. This means that if the match is significantly affected by rain, there is a real possibility of it being declared a no-result, with no clear winner. The potential washout of this semi-final would be a major setback for both teams, especially India, who are seeking redemption after their humiliating defeat against England in the last T20 World Cup semi-final. The absence of a reserve day adds to the uncertainty and could lead to a disappointing end to the tournament for one of the favorites.
Who will make it to the final if IND vs ENG match gets washed out?
Notably, June 28 is designated as a travel day for the finalists, with the final happening on June 29 in Barbados. This creates a scheduling crunch. If the South Africa versus Afghanistan semi-final (scheduled as a day-night match on June 27th) gets rained out and needs to be completed on the reserve day (also June 27), it potentially clashes with the second semi-final between India and England.
To avoid this clash, the organisers prioritise finishing both matches on their designated days. They can achieve this by reducing the number of overs in each innings during the South Africa vs. Afghanistan match if rain disrupts play. The second semi-final between India and England, scheduled as a day match on June 27th, has a longer timeframe allocated compared to the first semi-final. This allows almost four additional hours for the India vs. England match to be completed on the same day, even if there are rain interruptions. In short, the reserve day is meant to ensure a complete first semi-final, but the travel day for finalists creates a scheduling challenge. Organisers will try to finish both semi-finals on their designated days by potentially reducing overs in the first match and allocating extra time for the second.
So, if the semi-final between India and England fails to yield a result, India would automatically advance to the final, having secured the top spot in Group 1 of the Super 8 by defeating Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia respectively.
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