The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 has entered the business end of the tournament, with just three more matches to go.
Two semi-finals and the grand finale are left to be played in the 48-match World Cup. The first semi-final is between India and New Zealand on Wednesday, 15 November, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It is a repeat of the semi-final of World Cup 2019, where the Black Caps had emerged victorious.
Team India this time around seem more balanced and have been performing on a level higher than each of their opponents. The hosts were the only side to have won all their games in the group stage and finished with 18 points – four more than second-placed South Africa and eight more than their last-four opposition New Zealand.
What if rain washes out the India vs New Zealand semi-final match?
An extra time of 120 minutes will be allotted to the semi-final fixtures and the final if it starts raining during the game, according to the playing conditions set by the International Cricket Council (ICC). However, even if a match is not completed on the scheduled day, the ICC has a reserve day in place. If a result is not obtained even on the reserve day, then the team which finished at a better position in the points table will march into the final.
Meaning, if rain does play spoilsport in both the semi-finals of the World Cup 2023 (India vs New Zealand and Australia vs South Africa) and the respective reserve days, then India and South Africa will qualify for the final on the basis of a better place in the points table at the end of the group stage.
Rohit Sharma and Co finished at the top of the World Cup 2023 points table, with South Africa in second place, Australia in third and New Zealand in fourth.
The second semi-final of the tournament, between South Africa and Australia, is set to be played on Thursday 16 November at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The final is scheduled to take place on Sunday 19 November at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest cricket stadium in the world.
