What happens if rain washes out the SA vs NZ semi-final in Kolkata?
The weather forecast for Kolkata on Wednesday and Thursday shows a possibility of rain, and with the first T20 World Cup semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand scheduled for March 4, the question of what happens in a washout is worth answering.
The ICC has clear protocols in place for the knockout stages, and they differ from the group phase rules in some important ways.
Reserve day and extended hours
Both semi-finals have a designated reserve day built into the schedule. If rain interrupts the SA vs NZ match on Wednesday, play resumes on Thursday from the exact point it stopped. Match officials can extend playing time by up to 90 minutes on the original day and 120 minutes on the reserve day to try to get a result.
This means the ICC has factored in a combined total of three and a half extra hours across the two days before declaring a match unplayable.
Minimum overs for a result
For a semi-final to produce a valid result, a minimum of 10 overs must be bowled to each side. This is a higher bar than the standard T20I requirement of five overs per team. If at least 10 overs per side are completed, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method decides the winner.
This means even a significantly rain-shortened match will still go ahead, provided each team gets to face 10 overs. A five-over slog will not decide who reaches the final.
Complete washout: Super 8 standings decide
If neither the scheduled day nor the reserve day produces enough play, the team that finished higher in their Super 8 group goes through. There is no Super Over, no boundary count, no coin toss.
South Africa topped Super 8 Group 1 with six points from three wins. New Zealand qualified from Group 2 with three points. In a total washout, South Africa advance to the final automatically.
The same rule applies to Thursday's second semi-final between India and England. India finished atop their Super 8 group, so they would progress if that match is rained out entirely.
Has this happened before?
No T20 World Cup semi-final has ever been fully washed out. The closest was the 2022 edition in Australia, where rain played a role in several group matches, including the controversial Ireland-England game at the MCG that severely impacted England's net run rate calculations.
The current forecast for Kolkata suggests scattered showers are possible, but a complete washout over two days remains unlikely. Eden Gardens has a modern drainage system and ground staff have had experience managing weather interruptions during this tournament.
