Navi Mumbai, Nov 2 (IANS) With heavy rains at the DY Patil Sports Academy, the Women’s World Cup Final between India and South Africa is witnessing a delayed start, as the two captains wait for the rain to stop, the covers to be removed, and the toss to take place.
South Africa and India outperformed England and Australia, respectively, in the semi-finals of the global tournament and advanced to the final. Both teams eye their first-ever World Cup title, and the clash has generated considerable hype, but persistent rain has led to frustration overshadowing the excitement among fans and players alike.
If heavy rain prevents play on Sunday, a reserve day is scheduled, and the game will be continued on Monday. Play will restart from the exact point where it is paused, in the event of rain forbidding play on the scheduled day.
If the match went into the reserve day, then it will be the first time in the Women’s World Cup history, that the tournament final will be played in a reserve day.
While players, fans and all those following the game would want the two teams to square off on Sunday and arrive at a result soon, at least 20 overs must be bowled to declare a result. But in the current situation, even the chances of a toss happening look unlikely.
According to ICC playing conditions, at least 20 overs per side must be bowled in the second innings for a valid result to be declared. If the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method cannot be applied due to insufficient overs, the match will end as a no-result.
With rain pelting down at the venue, the chances of the game being washed out look high. If the situation persists on the reserve day and there’s no outcome possible, India and South Africa will be declared joint winners.
If that happens, it would be the first instance of the trophy being shared between the finalists in ICC Women’s World Cup history. Although this outcome might be bittersweet for fans, it would still serve as a significant acknowledgement of both teams’ outstanding performances during the tournament.
India, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, are seeking their first Women’s World Cup title, while South Africa, led by Laura Wolvaardt, also aim to win their maiden ICC trophy.
–IANS
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