IPL 2024 Playoffs: Is There A Reserve Day If Qualifier 1, Eliminator & Qualifier 2 Is Washed Out Due To Rain?

IPL 2024 has reached its climax as Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their spots for the playoffs in the seventeenth season of the Indian Premier League.

The IPL 2024 Playoffs will feature four matches: Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final. KKR (20 points) topped the table, followed by SRH (17 points), RR (17 points), and RCB (14 points).

The top two teams after the round-robin stage will clash in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday (May 21), followed by the Eliminator between the 3rd-placed and 4th-placed teams on Wednesday (May 22). Both matches will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The winner of Qualifier 1 will head directly to the final, scheduled for Sunday (May 26) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 on Friday (May 24).

Weather has disrupted three matches during the league stage, with rain affecting most parts of the country over the last week. This inclement weather could impact crucial matches in IPL 2024.

The forecast indicates clear weather with sunny days throughout the week in Ahmedabad. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heatwave conditions in parts of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, over the next five days.

In Chennai, however, rain and thunderstorms are forecasted leading up to matchdays, with clear days predicted from Friday (May 24) to Sunday (May 26). But what happens if it rains and there is no play or a truncated match or if the match is tied?

Unlike previous editions with a reserve day only for the final, IPL 2024 has a reserve day for all four playoff matches. If interrupted, matches will continue or be played on reserve days. But what if the reserve day is also washed out?

According to IPL playoff conditions, a match result can be determined only if both teams play a minimum of five overs each, with DLS calculations applied if one side has already played more than the requisite overs to obtain a result.

If minimum overs cannot be bowled, then the match will either resume from where it stopped or start afresh if no ball was bowled on the reserve day. The reserve day for IPL 2024 playoff matches is the very next day of the scheduled match.

Extra Time Available to Complete IPL 2024 Playoff Matches

According to IPL playing conditions, there is an extra time of 120 minutes available for each playoff match. A playoff match could start on the original day as late as 9:40 p.m. without reducing the number of overs (10-minute interval, time-outs retained).

No Result Possible Despite Reserve Day

If any playoff match - Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, or Final - gets washed out on both scheduled and reserve days without a result being possible, then the winner will be determined based on their position on the points table.

If any of these matches are tied or have no result, a Super Over will determine the winner. If conditions do not permit a Super Over within available time, then the team that finished higher on the League table will be deemed the winner.

Determining Winners if Matches Are Washed Out

If Qualifier 1 is washed out, the first-placed team enters the final while the second-placed team progresses to Qualifier 2 to face the Eliminator winner. If Eliminator is washed out, the third-placed team moves into Qualifier 2.

If Qualifier 2 is washed out, then either the second-placed team or Qualifier 1 loser earns a final spot. If even the final is washed out, then the team that topped the table will be awarded both the final match and trophy.