All eyes will be on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday as India take on New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup 2026. More than one lakh fans are expected to pack the world’s largest cricket stadium for the summit clash, with Suryakumar Yadav’s India looking to defend their title and create history.
India sealed their place in the final after a thrilling seven-run win over England in Mumbai, while New Zealand stormed past South Africa by nine wickets in the first semifinal at Eden Gardens. It doesn’t get bigger than this. But what about the worst case scenario? What happens if rain spoils the final?
Fortunately, the weather forecast for Ahmedabad looks promising, with almost no chance of rain predicted for Sunday evening. But the ICC has clear rules in place if the weather does intervene.
What if T20 World Cup final is washed out?
Unlike the group stage or semifinals, the final cannot be decided based on rankings. If rain interrupts the match on Sunday, match officials will first try to complete the game on the same day by using extra time and reducing the number of overs if necessary.
However, for a result to be possible, both teams must have the opportunity to bat for at least 10 overs. If that minimum requirement cannot be met on the scheduled day, the match will move to the reserve day on Monday, March 9.
If play had already started on Sunday and gets interrupted, the game will resume from the exact point it stopped on the reserve day. It will not restart from the beginning.
What if the reserve day is also washed out?
In the unlikely scenario where rain washes out both the scheduled day and the reserve day, the ICC has a straightforward rule India and New Zealand would be declared joint winners of the T20 World Cup.
If the match does take place but ends in a tie, the winner will be decided through a Super Over. If the Super Over also ends in a tie, additional Super Overs will be played until one team emerges victorious.
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