The wait is finally over as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is set to conclude with a blockbuster final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31.
After over two months of intense competition, the tournament has reached its final chapter. RCB earned direct qualification for the summit clash after defeating Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1, while Gujarat Titans secured their place by overcoming Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2.
However, with weather forecasts indicating a possibility of rain in Ahmedabad, many fans have been left wondering what will happen if the title clash gets interrupted or washed out completely.
Fortunately, the IPL has a detailed set of regulations in place to deal with such situations and ensure that every possible effort is made to determine the champion on the field.
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What happens if rain interrupts the IPL 2026 final?
If rain arrives during the final on May 31, the match officials will first try to complete the contest on the scheduled day itself. Unlike regular league matches, the IPL final is allotted an additional 120 minutes of extra time. This provision gives the officials extra flexibility to accommodate weather delays and maximise the chances of producing a result.
If the rain delay is not too significant, play can resume later in the evening. However, if a substantial amount of playing time is lost, the match can be shortened and the number of overs reduced accordingly.
In such circumstances, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method will be used to calculate revised targets and playing conditions.
For the match to be considered official and produce a result, both teams must have the opportunity to bat for a minimum of five overs each. If that requirement is met, the result can still be decided despite a shortened contest.
Throughout the evening, match officials will continue to revise schedules, playing conditions and over allocations depending on the weather situation.
Is there a reserve day for the IPL 2026 final?
Yes, the IPL has designated June 1 as the official Reserve Day for the final. This means that if rain prevents any play from taking place on May 31, the entire contest will be shifted to the following day.
The reserve day can also come into effect if the match starts on the scheduled day but cannot be completed because of continuous weather interruptions. In such a scenario, the match will resume from the exact point where it was halted rather than being restarted from scratch.
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This rule significantly increases the likelihood of the IPL final being decided through cricketing action rather than administrative measures. For both RCB and GT, the reserve day acts as an important safety net, ensuring that a weather interruption does not immediately deny either side a fair opportunity to compete for the trophy.
What if rain washes out both the final and the reserve day?
While it remains a highly unlikely scenario, the IPL rulebook also has a provision for a complete washout across both days. If weather conditions prevent the completion of the final on May 31 and June 1, the match will be declared abandoned.
In that case, the IPL champions will be decided based on league-stage standings. Since RCB finished at the top of the IPL 2026 points table, ahead of second-placed GT, RCB would automatically be crowned IPL 2026 champions if no result is possible on either the scheduled day or the reserve day.
This advantage exists because Bengaluru were the best-performing side during the league phase and secured the number-one position heading into the playoffs. As a result, GT will be particularly eager for the match to be completed on the field rather than allowing the weather to play a decisive role.
With the IPL trophy now within touching distance for both franchises, players, management and millions of fans around the world will be hoping that Ahmedabad remains clear and that the champion is decided through an uninterrupted battle between two of the strongest teams of the season.