Explained: What happens if rain washes out reserve day for CSK vs GT IPL 2023 final today

The final of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday was washed out due to relentless rain in Ahmedabad and subsequently moved to Reserve Day. A heavy downpour throughout the evening delayed the toss and subsequently the start of the summit clash. The eventual announcement was made at 10:55 PM IST implying that the final showdown for the prestigious IPL trophy between defending champions Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday. But with a forecast for rain even on Monday, the question remains - what happens if the Reserve Day gets washed out as well? [Follow | IPL 2023: CSK vs GT LIVE score updates]

The weather hasn't been at its best in Ahmedabad over the last few days. In fact, there was a spell of rain on Friday which led to a delayed start to Qualifier 2 between GT and Mumbai Indians. However, while the groundsmen did a fine job with the super soppers to give the crowd a full game, persistent rain on Sunday denied the same to a packed Narendra Modi Stadium.

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There was in fact a glimmer of hope around 9:00 PM IST when the rain had completely stopped, the covers were off, and umpires were out on the field to inspect while the players had started warming up again. But all for a brief while. Even before the announcement for toss was made, rain returned and never stopped, creating serious puddles on the covers and exposed parts of the outfield.

Weather prediction for Monday

There is a prediction of a thunderstorm around 5 PM IST, expected to last about an hour. But there is no forecast for rain during match hours, implying a full possibility of a 20-over match.

But what If reserve day is washed out?

The rules for the cut-off time on Reserve Day remain the same as it was for Sunday. 9:35 PM IST will be the time when overs will start getting reduced with a possibility of a five-overs contest as late as 12:06 AM IST. Further down, there will be a chance to settle the matter with a Super Over for which the outfield and the pitch must be ready latest by 1.20 AM IST.

In case there is no play possible on the Reserve Day as well, the team that finished higher on the points table at the end of the 70-match league phase will be announced as the winner. This means, Gujarat Titans, who had bagged a top-od-the-table finish after their assigned 14 games in the league stage, will take home the trophy ahead of second-placed CSK.