The 9th edition of the ICC T20 World Cup has commenced, featuring 20 teams for the first time. This tournament introduces a unique scheduling twist with both semi-finals taking place on the same day, June 27. However, only one of these matches has a reserve day, sparking potential controversy if rain affects the non-reserve day semi-final.
According to Indian Standard Time, both semi-finals are scheduled for June 27. However, for American and Caribbean audiences, the first semi-final will occur on June 26 at 8 PM, while the second semi-final will take place on June 27 at 10:30 AM. The second semi-final, happening in Guyana at 10:30 AM local time, has no reserve day. If rain disrupts this match, it could lead to significant disputes. There is a 250-minute (4 hours and 10 minutes) buffer time for rain delays, but the lack of a reserve day means the match must conclude on the same day. The final is scheduled for June 29, giving the winning team very little recovery time if the semi-final is extended to June 28.
This scenario echoes a previous controversy during the Asia Cup 2023. On September 10, the Super-4 match between India and Pakistan faced rain interruptions. India had started strong with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill scoring half-centuries. However, rain halted the match in the 25th over with new batsmen Virat Kohli and KL Rahul at the crease. The match had a reserve day, and India resumed play the next day, setting a target of 357 runs. Pakistan was bowled out for 128, leading to a 228-run victory for India. The decision to provide a reserve day for this match was criticized by former cricketers like Venkatesh Prasad and Arjuna Ranatunga, and it faced backlash from Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi fans.
