The volatile English weather plays a key role in the ongoing World cup cricket, already four out of 45 matches have been abandoned due to undesired rain washing out the matches, which is a record for a World Cup cricket tournament.

Why the ICC scheduled the world cup during this time of the year, the English summer, which is known to be affected by the rain. Though the rain is distributed fairly round the year, February to March, the British spring, is the driest period. But, what matters is the officials of the ICC, the administrative body of the World Cup, got to consider of the schedule, decides.

The rain interrupted 4 matches of the world cup 2019 so far if it happens in the knock out stages, how do we decide the winners? What happens if it washes out the scheduled day. It was to forecasted to rain in both of the semis, in the Australia- England semi-final, it is forecasted to rain in the second innings. So, what measures the ICC has taken if any of the key matches, like the semifinals and final’s scheduled play are abandoned?

Luckily ICC allocated an extra day following the scheduled day, as a reserve day. In the group stage, if needed, when it is possible to resume a match after rain interruption, DLS (The Duckworth–Lewis–Stern) method is used, a formulation to calculate the winning target for the team chasing. Otherwise in the group stage of the world cup, if the match is abandoned, the two teams share the points. But in the knock out stage, a winner must have to decide. For that very reason, currently in addition to the DLS method, a reserve day is followed by the scheduled day, that is if the weather and situation permit the resumption of the match on the scheduled day, the target is calculated by the DLS method, otherwise, the allocated reserve day system is used.

Reserve day: If not a single ball is bowled in the scheduled date then a full 50 over match will take place in the reserve day. But for a normal rain interruption and abandonment of the scheduled day, the match takes place from the very point of interruption and continues on the next day. In a one day match, a match to constitute a minimum number of 20 overs had to be bowled. If the situation arises when even a match constituting minimum 20 over could not be bowled, then the group stage’s superior team in terms of points of the group stage point goes through to the next round. For example, If both the scheduled and reserve day of India-Newzealand semifinal are abandoned, then due to the point superiority India goes through to the final.

Rain not only deprived the teams of their matches but also the spectators. At this moment, India and Newzealand match is taking place, we hope and expect the English weather to be gracious enough to permit the rest of the world cup to finish in a high note and satisfactory manner.