India are set to face England in a high-stakes semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, but weather concerns have raised a crucial question — what happens if rain washes out the match?
The International Cricket Council has already put contingency plans in place. A reserve day has been scheduled to ensure the knockout fixture gets a result. Also, officials have built in extra playing time , 90 minutes on the match day and 120 minutes on the reserve day — to try and complete at least a five-over contest per side.
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However, if persistent rain forces a complete abandonment even after the reserve day, the qualification will be decided based on Super 8 standings. In that scenario, England would progress to the final because they finished higher in their Super 8 group with three wins, while India ended second with two victories.
The stakes are even higher considering recent history. In 2022, England knocked India out at the semifinal stage before lifting the trophy. The script changed in 2024 when India defeated England in the last four and went on to beat South Africa in the final.
Interestingly, in both of the last two editions, the winner of the India-England semifinal eventually became world champion — a trend that adds extra intrigue to Thursday’s clash in Mumbai.
