IPL 2022 playoffs rules: 10-point guide for rain-affected matches

There were no disruptions due to inclement weather in the league phase of IPL 2022. However, rain could play spoilsport in the playoffs that start on Tuesday (May 24) in Kolkata.

Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, the venue for Qualifier 1 and Eliminator has already been damaged due to heavy rain over the weekend. Now, the rain threat looms large over the playoff matches.

Also read: All you need to know about IPL playoffs

What will happen if rain or other weather conditions disrupt the playoff matches including the final?

As per IPL’s latest guidelines/rules, if playoffs are interrupted or it is a washout, then Super Over will decide the winner of all the four contests – Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the final. Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will host the last two matches of IPL 2022.

Here is your 10-point guide on rain rules/guidelines for IPL 2022 playoffs. These are the playing conditions released by IPL.

1. Extra time of 120 minutes is available for each playoff match.

2. A playoff match can start on the original day as late as 9.40 pm without the number of overs being reduced (10-minute interval, time-outs retained). The final match can start on the original day as late as 10.10 pm without the number of overs being reduced (10-minute interval, time-outs retained).

3. A reserve day is available for the final on 30 May at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad starting at 8.00 pm. An additional 120 minutes of extra time is available on the reserve day.

4. The number of overs in the playoff match may, if necessary, be reduced so that each side has the opportunity to bat for 5 overs.

5. The latest that a five overs per side match can start is 11.56 pm (10-minute interval, no timeouts) – with a scheduled finish of 12.50 pm. The cut-off time for the Final will be 12.26 am for 5 overs per side game.

6. If the final has started (at least one ball bowled) but is not finished on the original day, it will be completed on the reserve day. 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. (3 hours and 20 minutes plus a further extra time of 2 hours are available for play on the reserve day).

7. For the Eliminator and each Qualifier playoff matches (where there is no reserve day), in the event that it is not possible to schedule a 5 over match to complete by the end of the extra time on the original day, the teams will, if conditions permit, play a Super Over (and if necessary further Super Overs) to determine the winner of the relevant Eliminator or Qualifier match. This means that the pitch and ground must be ready for play so that the Super Over can start at the latest by 12.50 am.

8. For the final, in the event that it is not possible to schedule a 5-over match to be completed by the end of the extra time on the reserve day, the teams will, if conditions permit, play a Super Over to determine the winner of the final. This means that the pitch and ground must be ready for play so that the Super Over can start at the latest by 1.20 am (final).

9. In the event that it is not possible to start the Super Over as described in paragraphs 8 and 9 or to then complete the Super Over without interruption, the team that finished highest in the league table after the 70 matches of the regular season shall be declared the winner of the relevant playoff match or final.

10. Examples of the applications of paragraphs 5 and 6: The final starts and after 4 overs of the first innings, rain prevents any further play that night → the match restarts at 8.00 pm on 30 May with (if conditions allow) the first innings being completed (16 overs) and the full second innings of 20 overs. If any Qualifier or the Eliminator starts on time and the first innings of 20 overs is completed but after 5.1 overs of the second innings, rain prevents any further play that night → the result is decided that night under the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method. After the toss for the final, no play is possible that night → a new 20 overs per side match starts at 8.00 pm on 30 May. There will be another toss and a new team can be selected.

Also read: India Test, T20I squads announced

What is Super Over?

A Super Over involves each team facing an over of six balls, and the winner shall be the team scoring the greater number of runs, irrespective of the number of wickets lost.

The loss of two wickets in the over ends the team’s one-over innings.

Tied Super Over – Repeating the Super Over procedure

If the Super Over is tied, then subsequent Super Over will be played until there is a winner.

In normal circumstances any subsequent Super Over will start 5 minutes after the previous Super Over ends.

The team batting second in the previous Super Over will bat first in the subsequent Super Over.

The balls selected for use by each team in the previous Super Over shall be used again by the same team in subsequent Super Over(s).

The fielding side must bowl its over in a subsequent Super Over from the opposite end to which it bowled from in the previous Super Over.

Any batter dismissed in any previous Super Over shall be ineligible to bat in the following Super Over.

Any bowler who bowled in the previous Super Over shall be ineligible to bowl in the subsequent Super Over.

In all other ways, the procedure for a subsequent Super Over shall be the same as for the initial Super Over.