Both T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals have designated reserve days on the following afternoon
The final on March 8 will move to March 9 if required, retaining its 7:00 PM IST start time
If the reserve day is also washed out, the higher-ranked Super Eights team progresses to the final
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is near its conclusion as the semi-finals start on Wednesday. Defending champions India are one of the four teams that sealed their places in the semis, following a brilliant run chase against West Indies in the Super Eights. They will face two-time champions England, while unbeaten South Africa will take on New Zealand.
However, the weather has been a source of concern for cricket fans as we enter the last-four stage. Two games have been washed out without a ball being bowled in this tournament, most notably, Pakistan’s Super Eight match against New Zealand on February 21.
Despite both games being played in India, fans will be worried about the fate of the semi-final matches in case of rain interruption. Thankfully, the ICC have designated reserve days for the semi-finals and final, on which the match can resume at a later time in case of rain playing spoilsport.
Let’s take a look at the concept of reserve days and when they will take place in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Reserve Day Schedule
The first semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, March 4. The second semi-final between India and England will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. Both matches will start at 7:00 PM IST.
In case of a washout, the ICC has allotted a reserve day on the next day. So, the South Africa vs New Zealand match will move to March 5, while the India vs England match will be played on March 6. Instead of their regular start time, the reserve day games will start earlier at 3:00 PM IST.
Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup final, set to take place in Ahmedabad on March 8, will shift to the next day – Monday, March 9. The start time won’t change, which means that the reserve day match will also start at 7:00 PM IST.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Reserve Day Rules
There will be steps taken to ensure that the matches are completed on their designated days. For both semi-finals, there will be 90 minutes of additional time allotted on regular days, with that being increased to 120 minutes on reserve days. For the final, it will be 120 minutes on both days.
In case of rain interruption, the umpires will try to reduce overs as needed, with a minimum of 10 overs per team being needed for a result. If that is not possible, the match will resume on the reserve day from the point when it was abandoned, with the same number of overs being available.
In case the reserve day is washed out as well, the team with the higher standing in the Super Eights will advance to the T20 World Cup 2026 final.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Semi-Final: Schedule
| Match | Teams | Scheduled Date | Reserve Day | Venue |
| SF 1 | South Africa vs New Zealand | March 4 (7:00 PM IST) | March 5 (3:00 PM IST) | Eden Gardens |
| SF 2 | India vs England | March 5 (7:00 PM IST) | March 6 (3:00 PM IST) | Wankhede Stadium |
| Final | TBD vs TBD | March 8 (7:00 PM IST) | March 9 (7:00 PM IST) | Narendra Modi Stadium |
