IPL 2022 playoffs rules: What will happen if bad weather interrupts IPL playoffs final?

IPL 2022 playoffs rules: There are several guidelines issued for the IPL playoffs considering the rain threat in Kolkata.

The playoffs stages of the Indian Premier League are set to start on 24 May 2022 with the qualifier match between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, followed by the Eliminator match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore on 25 May 2022. Kolkata’s Eden Gardens will host both matches.

However, the main concern about the games in Kolkata is the weather. The weather forecast of Kolkata on 24th and 25th May 2022 does not look promising at all. Some heavy showers are expected on both days, and the official guidelines of the playoffs have been issued by the BCCI.

IPL 2022 playoffs rules

Extra time and super over

With the forecast looking bleak for the playoff stages in Kolkata, BCCI have allowed an additional two hours of time for the matches. So, the 7.30 PM games can begin as late as 9.40 PM without any overs being lost. The final will is scheduled to start at 8:00 PM, and that game can start as late as 10:10 PM.

In case of the delayed stars, the mid-innings break will be halved, but the strategic time-outs will remain intact.

“The number of overs in the playoff match may, if necessary, be reduced so that each side has the opportunity to bat for five overs,” the guidelines said.

Minimum overs to get a result

A minimum of five overs contest is needed to decide the result of the match, if those five overs are also not possible, then a Super Over will be used to decide the match. This rule will be in place for the matches on which there is no reserve day i.e. Qualifier-1, Eliminator and Qualifier-2.

A five-over match should be finished by 12:50 PM, whereas in the case of the final match, it should start the latest by 12:26 AM.

If the Super Over is also not possible, then the team with better performance in the league stages will go through. For example, in Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals match, Gujarat Titans will be through to the finals based on their performances in the league stages.

IPL final rules

The IPL final will begin at 8 PM, and there is a reserve day for the final on 30 May 2022. If the match stops at any stage on the scheduled day, the reserve day will start from the exact same point.

“The match will resume at the point where it stopped on the previous day. For the avoidance of doubt, any match recalculations done without the match actually restarting on the previous night will be ignored,” the guidelines said.

If there is no game possible on the original day after the toss, there will be a fresh toss on the reserve day. The rest of the conditions of the final to determine the result will be the same as the other games of the playoffs. The Super over of the final should begin the latest by 1.20 AM.