After another unbeaten run in an ICC tournament, India are through to the final of the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2014, and the third time overall, and will be hoping to deny themselves a repeat of their fate in the 2023 ODI World Cup. India, who last lifted the T20 World Cup trophy under MS Dhoni in 2007, will be up against fellow unbeaten side South Africa, who reached their maiden final in an ICC tournament. However, it seems rain could play a vital factor in not just deciding the toss factor, but on the match itself.
Rain has had its say a few times in this tournament, with India’s semifinal game against England earlier this week almost under threat in Guyana, before the weather gods chose to show mercy. Rohit Sharma’s men later comfortably scripted a win against England and avenged their semifinal loss in Adelaide in the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup to make the final. However, the blockbuster final against South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday could be affected by thunderstorms.
Barbados weather report: Will thunderstorms ruin India vs South Africa T20 World Cup final?
According to Accuweather, the forecast for Saturday reads: “Cloudy, winds gradually subsiding and humid with a thunderstorm in parts of the area.” An hourly breakdown for the day further shows chances of thunderstorms between 6 and 8 AM, with the level of precipitation being 51 per cent throughout. This could imply a delayed start to the match, which is scheduled to commence at 10:30 AM local time. While the chances of rain reduce significantly to around 30 per cent with the forecast reading as ‘cloudy’, there are chances of thunderstorms again between 1 and 2 PM.
What happens if India vs South Africa T20 World Cup final is washed out?
If the match is washed out due to rain on June 29, Saturday, it will be played on the reserve day allocated by the ICC on June 30. On reserve day allocation, the ICC playing conditions state that “every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day”.
A minimum of 10 overs have to be bowled to the team batting second in a bid to achieve a result. Moreover, if the match begins on the scheduled day and the game is interrupted due to rain in Barbados, after which no play is possible, it will resume from the same point on the reserve day.
