Heavy rain forecast in Sydney over the coming days has put both England and Australia in danger of elimination in the ongoing T20 World Cup if Thursday’s semi-finals at the Sydney Cricket Ground are washed out.
Consistent rainfall is currently forecast until Thursday in Sydney, raising doubts over whether the semi-finals will go ahead. There is no reserve day scheduled for Thursday’s semi-finals, meaning that if both games are washed out, India and South Africa will advance to Sunday’s final at the MCG on account of winning their respective groups. Since neither side has ever qualified for a Women’s T20 World Cup final before, this would guarantee a first-time winner of the tournament.
[caption id=”attachment_138896″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″]
England’s T20 World Cup semi-final opponents are group A winners India[/caption]
Even if Thursday’s games are not entirely rained off, the chances of a result in both games is reduced by the slightly altered playing conditions for the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, a minimum of 10 overs per side is required to constitute a game, up from five overs, the general norm in T20 cricket and what was needed for a game to be completed in the group stage of the competition.
The lack of reserve day may well prove significant, depriving the semi-finalists the chance to contest for a spot in the final. At the time of writing, there is no rain forecast for Friday – the day that would in theory have been used for such a purpose.
The Men’s World Cup in England in 2019 had reserve days for both semi-finals, with one being used for New Zealand’s victory over India at Old Trafford. The Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Scotland also had reserve days scheduled in case of rain. March is the month of the year that sees rain fall most often in Sydney. On average, rain falls in Sydney 13.3 days per month in March, a figure higher than in any other month.
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]
International cricket is rarely played in the month of March in Sydney. Aside from fixtures in the 1992, 2009 and 2015 World Cups, there hasn’t been an international played as late as Thursday’s semi-finals (March 5) in the Australian summer in Sydney since 1985.
There is, however, a reserve day scheduled for the final in case of rain. If the reserve day is washed out, the two finalists will share the trophy and be declared joint winners.
