Less than 24 hours to go until the IPL 2025 final. Royal Challengers Bangalore face off against Punjab Kings at the Ahmedabad stadium on June 3. Both teams are yet to win an Indian Premier League title. The qualifier 2 match was also played on this ground, delayed by 2 hours due to heavy rain. So, what happens if it rains on the final day?
Rain Rules for IPL Final
The BCCI introduced new rules before the playoffs started. To avoid match cancellations due to rain, an extra 120 minutes is added. Usually, evening matches start at 7:30 PM, but with the new rules, if the match begins by 9:30 PM, there won’t be any reduction in overs. The Mumbai-Punjab qualifier 2 match started at 9:45 PM, and still, a full 20-over match was played.
Cut-Off Time Explained
Cut-off time is the deadline by which a match can’t be canceled. Earlier, it was 10:56 PM, but now, if not a single ball is bowled by 11:56 PM, the match will be called off. For a match result, both teams must play at least 5 overs each.
Another question arises – what time will the match result be announced, considering the cut-off time? Looking at the qualifier 2 match, which started at 9:45 PM and ended around 1:30 AM, gives us an idea.
Reserve Day for the Final
The final is scheduled for June 3, but if rain delays the start beyond 11:56 PM, June 4 is kept as a reserve day. This means if the match can’t be completed on June 3, it will be played on June 4.