30 years after Pakistan defeated England in the 1992 World Cup final at the MCG, the Three Lions have a chance to not only have revenge for that defeat at the same venue but also a victory will make them the first team in history to hold both the ODI and T20 World Cups simultaneously.
After miraculously sneaking into the semi-final, Pakistan defeated New Zealand in Sydney by 7 wickets, before England handed a proper 10-wicket shellacking to Team India in Adelaide. It is also quite interesting that both these teams were knocked out in the semi-finals last year in the UAE, but now have taken one step further, and one will get the hands-on their second T20 world title – Pakistan won the 2009 T20 WC while England won it a year later in 2010.
However, it might even come down to both the teams sharing the T20 World Cup 2022 trophy because there is plenty of rain threat on Sunday, the day of the final, and Monday, the reserve day, in Melbourne.
The Bureau of Meteorology in Australia has forecasted a 100% chance of rain with 10-20mm expected including the chance of a thunderstorm, possibly severe with heavy falls.
3 Super 12 matches were washed out in Melbourne and one – England vs Ireland – was impacted by rain with Jos Buttler’s side losing on DLS.
However, if there is one city in Australia where the weather is the most unpredictable, and the forecasts cannot be trusted, it is Melbourne: even before the India-Pakistan Super 12 game on October 23, showered had been forecasted during the game and it was predicted that the game would be reduced, however, we got a full 40 overs to match that day.
ICC addresses the playing conditions in case of rain interruptions in the T20 World Cup 2022 final
The ICC has come out and laid out the rules and playing conditions clearly in case of the match is affected by the rain.
First of all, the minimum length needed for a result in the final is 10 overs per side. If the game cannot be held or completed on Sunday, the reserve day, Monday, will kick in. If the match starts on Sunday, but a minimum of 10 overs per side cannot take place, then the match will continue – and not restart – on Monday. There are also additional 4 hours on Monday to see a conclusion to the match.
If even in the extra playing hours, a 10-over-per-side contest cannot be played or completed, then both teams will be declared the joint winners and the trophy and the prize money will be shared.
“The Event Technical Committee (ETC) has increased the provision of additional playing time on the reserve day to four hours from the original provision of two hours (clause 13.7.3 of the Playing Conditions), in case more time is required to complete the match and get a result,” the ICC stated.
“It may be noted that 10 overs per side are required to constitute a match in the knockout stage, and every effort will be taken to complete the match on the scheduled match day.
“Every effort will be made for the match to be completed on Sunday, with any necessary reduction of overs taking place, and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on Sunday will the match go into the reserve day. Play on the reserve day will begin at 15h00 and would be a continuation of play from the scheduled match day.”
