Threat of rain looms over Women’s World Cup round of 16: here’s how the ICC reserve days rule works | Cricket News
The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 has entered its most nerve-wracking phase: the knockout stages. As the teams prepare for the high-stakes semifinals, another challenge looms: the weather. Guwahati and Navi Mumbai, venues for the semi-finals, are threatened by rainy clouds. With heavy downpours forecast, fans and teams are wondering what would happen if rain spoils the show. Fortunately, the ICC has made arrangements to deal with such a scenario. The two semi-finals and the final each have a reserve day, ensuring that the outcome of these crucial matches does not depend solely on the weather.
So how do these reserve days actually work?
According to ICC regulations, every effort will be made to complete the game on the scheduled day, even if it means reducing the overs. If rain interrupts play, officials will endeavor to restart the match with a revised number of overs per team. If the match cannot be resumed or remains unfinished, it will resume exactly where it left off on the reserve day. For example, if a full 50 over match begins but rain interrupts play before the overs are reduced, the match will continue as a 50 over match the next day. However, if the match had already entered a shortened phase, say 46 overs per team, then it would resume from that point on the reserve day.
What if the rain played spoilsport both days?
If no play is possible even after the reserve day, the team with the highest ranking in the points table from the group stage will advance. In this case, Australia and England – the top two teams in the championship stage – would qualify for the final if their respective semi-finalists were eliminated. And in the worst case scenario where the final itself is abandoned over the two days, the trophy will be shared between the two finalists.
