Evenings in Dubai have been nice and cool for most of the last three weeks with a bit of cloud cover, but the UAE city doesn’t usually receive much rainfall, and the Sunday weather is expected to be the same during the Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand.
But still, rules are put in place before the start of every tournament, including for the scenario of a final failing to produce a result.
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India’s first Champions Trophy triumph was a shared result, with Sri Lanka declared joint winners after the final in the 2002 edition was washed out on both scheduled and reserve day.
If it happens in Dubai on Sunday, is there a reserve day in place? What is the exact rule related to reserve day? How many overs constitute a full match? Will the game restart on the reserve day or resume from where it paused on the original match-day?
The Champions Trophy rule-book for the playing conditions answers all that.
The good thing is that the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 does have a reserve day. If the game remains unfinished for any reason on the original day, it will resume from the same point on the reserve day.
Both teams need to play 25 overs each to constitute a game and have a result. In case that is not possible on both the days, India and New Zealand will share the trophy.
According to the playing conditions: “The Semi-Finals and Final shall have a reserve day allocated on which an incomplete match shall be continued from the scheduled day.
“If play is interrupted on the scheduled day, the umpires shall use the available extra time and, if necessary, reduce the number of overs to try to achieve a result on that day.
“In making their decisions in relation to ground, weather and light, the umpires shall aim to maximise play on the scheduled day of the match in order to achieve a result on that day, as if there was no Reserve Day available.
“Each team must have had the opportunity to bat for a minimum of twenty-five (25) overs for a result to be achieved. If play has not resumed by the cut-off time required to allow the minimum number of overs to be bowled to achieve a result on the scheduled day, play shall be abandoned for the day and the Reserve Day shall be used to either complete or replay the match.”
In the event of an abandonment for reasons like unfit pitch:
“If the innings of the side batting second is suspended (with at least 20 overs bowled) and it is not possible for the match to be resumed, the match will be decided by comparison with the DLS ‘Par Score’ determined at the instant of the suspension using DLS. If the score is equal to the par score, the match is a Tie. Otherwise the result is a victory,” read the playing conditions.
