A reserve day in cricket is utilised when a knockout match cannot be held or finished as planned. In such situations, the competition is rescheduled for another day to ensure a conclusive outcome. The latest example of a reserve day in cricket is the IPL 2023 final between CSK and GT, which was supposed to take place on 28 May, Sunday, but was postponed to the reserve day on 29 May, Monday, owing to washout.
In the case of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a reserve day is kept for the final and is employed when even a five-over match cannot be conducted and if the weather does not permit for a Super Over either. If the final game has commenced but cannot conclude on the initially scheduled date due to unfavourable weather conditions, it will be finalized on the reserve day.
The decision to allocate a reserve day in a cricket match, such as in international tournaments or domestic leagues, is typically made by the tournament organizers based on factors like the importance of the game, scheduling constraints, and the likelihood of interruptions due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
In ODIs, a minimum of 20 overs per side needs to be completed for a full game, or else the match moves to a Reserve Day. In T20Is, five overs need to be completed per innings for a result. If it is not possible, and there is a reserve day available, it will be played then, unless rules allow for a result to be reached via the Super Over.
IPL 2023 final reserve day rules
The final of IPL 2023, on May 28, was marred by rain, with table-toppers Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings now facing off each other on May 29, the reserve day, in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat Titans will be declared the winners due to their higher position on the points table if the rain washed out the reserve day as well. They finished at the top during the league stage, according to the IPL Playing Conditions from the previous year.
However, before reaching that scenario, there are several possibilities to consider. The cutoff time for a full match to be played is 9.35 pm IST before overs are lost.
If conditions permit, a five-overs-a-side game can start as late as 12.06 am IST. A Super Over can be held between the two sides as well, as late as 1.20 am IST. If that is not possible, the match will be awarded to Gujarat.
The only other instance when an IPL knockout game was pushed to the reserve day was in 2014 when Qualifier 1 between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders was unable to be completed on the scheduled day due to rains in Kolkata. The match was shifted to the next day, and it was a 4 pm IST game – the only time an IPL knockout match has been an afternoon clash.
When did the first reserve day in cricket take place?
One of the first examples of the reserve day in cricket was during the 1979 World Cup, between Sri Lanka and India.
In the 1979 ICC Trophy, Sri Lanka emerged as the champions, earning them qualification for the cricket World Cup. This was their second appearance in the World Cup, having lost all their league matches in the 1975 edition.
Facing India in a dead rubber match in Manchester, Sri Lanka batted first after losing the toss. Despite the absence of their captain, Anura Tenekoon, due to injury, opener Sunil Wettimuny and Roy Dias built a strong partnership of 96 runs. Duleep Mendis then displayed dazzling strokeplay, taking advantage of the clueless Indian bowling attack. Sudath Pasqual, the youngest player in the tournament, complemented Mendis with a valuable contribution of 52 runs.
Sri Lanka set a challenging total of 238 runs. Due to a late start on Saturday due to rain and a rest day on Sunday, India’s run-chase was scheduled to begin on Monday morning, on the reserve day. India made a solid start with Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad, but after their dismissals, panic set in among the Indian batsmen. Somachandra de Silva wreaked havoc, taking crucial wickets and causing a collapse in the Indian batting line-up.
Antony Opatha delivered an impressive spell, cleaning up the Indian tail. India were eventually bowled out for 191, giving Sri Lanka a memorable victory.
Examples of ODI matches played on Reserve Day
2002 Champions Trophy final, India v Sri Lanka
The final of the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy took place on September 29 at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium, featuring India and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka batted first and posted a total of 244/5 on the scoreboard, with noteworthy contributions from Sanath Jayasuriya (74) and Kumar Sangakkara (54). Harbhajan Singh shone for India, taking three wickets for 27 runs.
India began their chase, reaching 14/0 after two overs, but the match was interrupted by rain and subsequently abandoned.
A fresh match commenced on September 30, with Sri Lanka batting first once again. However, their innings failed to yield a substantial score. Mahela Jayawardene top-scored with 77, supported by Russel Arnold’s unbeaten 56. Sri Lanka managed to reach 222/7 in their allotted 50 overs, with Zaheer Khan impressing for India with figures of 3/44.
India began their response, reaching 38/1 in 8.4 overs, when rain intervened once more, leading to another abandonment. As a result, India and Sri Lanka were declared joint winners of the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy.
1999 World Cup, India v England
On May 29, in match number 25 of the 1999 ODI World Cup, India faced England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. England won the toss and chose to field, limiting India to a score of 232/8.
Darren Gough, Alan Mullally, and Mark Ealham took two wickets each for England. Rahul Dravid was the highest scorer for India, showing resilience with a score of 53, while Sourav Ganguly contributed 40.
In England’s response, they reached 73/3 in 20.3 overs when play was halted due to thunderstorms. Alec Stewart (2), Graeme Hick (0), and Nasser Hussain (33) were dismissed before the interruption.
The match was continued on the reserve day. Javagal Srinath delivered a significant blow by dismissing Graham Thorpe lbw for 36. Sourav Ganguly claimed the wickets of Neil Fairbrother (29) and Mark Ealham (0), while Anil Kumble trapped Andrew Flintoff (15) and Adam Hollioake (6) lbw.
England were eventually bowled out for 169 in 45.2 overs, resulting in a famous victory for India by 63 runs on the reserve day of the match.
2019 World Cup semifinal, India v New Zealand
One of the most memorable matches that utilized the reserve day was the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand at Old Trafford in Manchester. Unfortunately, it ended in disappointment for India.
The match commenced as scheduled on July 9, with New Zealand winning the toss and choosing to bat first. Play continued for 46.1 overs before rain interrupted the proceedings, necessitating the use of the reserve day.
At the end of the interrupted day, Ross Taylor was batting on 67, while Tom Latham was on 3. Jasprit Bumrah made an early breakthrough for India by dismissing Martin Guptill for 1. However, Kane Williamson (67) and Taylor steadied New Zealand’s innings, contributing 65 runs for the third wicket. India managed to take wickets at regular intervals, limiting New Zealand’s progress.
On the reserve day, New Zealand extended their innings and reached a total of 239/8. Taylor was run-out for 74, while Latham was dismissed for 10. India’s chase got off to a disastrous start as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul all fell for just 1 run each. Rohit and Rahul were caught behind off Matt Henry’s bowling, while Kohli was trapped lbw by Trent Boult.
India’s scorecard read a troubling 5/3 at the beginning of the fourth over. Ravindra Jadeja (77 off 59) and MS Dhoni (50 off 72) attempted a rescue mission, but their valiant efforts fell short. New Zealand bowled out India for 221, securing a famous 18-run victory.
