The T20 World Cup has reached the knockout stages, with two sudden-death semi-finals to determine who will advance to the final.
In the first semi-final, New Zealand will clash with Pakistan on Wednesday, November 9 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, before attention turns to the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10 when India will do battle with England.
Both games will be played with a 7pm (AEDT) start time, and the winners will advance to Sunday evening's final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Unlike all matches played throughout the group stage, both semi-finals will have a reserve day available should they be unable to reach their conclusions due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.
When is the reserve day for each semi-final?
The reserve day for each semi-final will be the day immediately following the scheduled day.
In Sydney, that means the reserve day would be on Thursday, November 10, with the scheduled start time for a reserve day being 2pm (AEDT). The afternoon start time is to avoid any crossover with the second semi-final in Adelaide.
Should the reserve day be needed in Adelaide, it will also be an afternoon contest from 3pm (AEDT) on Friday, with that set to allow the winning team to fly to Melbourne on Friday evening and begin preparations for the final.
How is the reserve day used?
The ICC's official tournament playing conditions state that every effort to complete the game on the scheduled day will be made.
That means that over reductions will occur on the scheduled day, rather than holding onto overs during lost time to be completed on the reserve day.
The official tournament playing conditions state:
13.6.5 - If the reserve day is allocated, every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.
Should the game be stopped and unable to resume though, it will resume on the reserve day with the same playing conditions as when it ceased.
That means that even if a plan to start is made with reduced overs, it would be scrapped for the reserve day, provided no cricket is played.
The only reason a match will start on the reserve day with reduced overs is if cricket was played with those reduced overs on the scheduled day, but then couldn't be completed.
13.6.6 - If the match has started on the scheduled day and overs are subsequently reduced following an interruption, but no further play is possible, the match will resume on the reserve day at the point where the last ball was played.
The playing conditions also confirm that if a toss is made on the scheduled day, it shall not be redone on the reserve day should no play have been possible.
What if the reserve day is washed out?
Should either match fail to achieve a result on their scheduled or reserve day, then the first-placed teams from the Super 12 round - New Zealand and India - would advance directly to the final.
But what is the weather forecast?
The forecast for both Sydney and Adelaide on the match days suggests the chances of needing a reserve day are slim.
Wednesday's forecast in Sydney according to the Bureau of Meteorology suggests just a 30 per cent chance of a shower, most likely in the morning.
"Partly cloudy. Slight (30%) chance of a shower along the coastal fringe in the morning. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h in the afternoon, becoming light in the late evening."
Thursday's forecast in Adelaide, following rain on Wednesday, also reads well with a 40 per cent chance of rain.
"Partly cloudy. Medium (40%) chance of showers, most likely in the early morning. The chance of a thunderstorm in the early morning. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h shifting south to southwesterly in the afternoon."
Forecast correct at 10:30am (AEDT) on Wednesday, November 9.
