India vs England T20 World Cup semi-final: New match rules explained amid rain forecast

India is set to face England in the second semifinal of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 at Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday, June 27. However, the match is under significant threat from rain. According to accuweather.com, there is an 76% chance of rain on Thursday morning in Guyana. India, led by Rohit Sharma, will face England in a rematch of the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal. In their previous semifinal encounter 19 months ago in Adelaide, England's Jos Buttler and Alex Hales secured a dominant 10-wicket victory. England, the defending champions, remain formidable opponents, especially with Jos Buttler and his new opening partner, Phil Salt, in excellent form. On the other hand, India has not won this tournament since its inception in 2007 and is seeking its first World Cup victory in any format since the 2011 ODI tournament. India's last ICC trophy was the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.

India vs England semi-final playing conditions rules

• Unlike the first semifinal in Trinidad which will be played between Afghanistan and South Africa, there is no reserve day scheduled for India vs England semi-final match.
• For the India vs England semifinal, 250 minutes of additional time will be used if needed. For the first semifinal on June 26, 60 minutes will be available at the end of the day’s play, with the remaining 190 minutes scheduled for 2pm on June 27. For the second semifinal on June 27, the additional 250 minutes will be utilized through extended playing hours on the same day.
• However, there is an allocation of 250 minutes of additional time to try and achieve a result if rain interrupts play in India vs England semi-final match. If rain completely washes out the match without a single ball being bowled or no result is possible even after using the additional time, India will advance to the final. This is due to their superior performance in the 'Super 8s' stage, where they topped Group 1 by winning all three of their matches against Australia, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. England finished second in Group 1, which was topped by South Africa.
• In the event of a tie in a semifinal, the teams will compete in a Super Over to determine which team progresses to the final. If weather conditions prevent the completion of the Super Over, or if the match is abandoned or results in no result, the team that finished first in its Second Round Group will advance to the final.
• For the semifinals and final, a minimum of 10 overs must be bowled to the side batting second, unless a result is achieved earlier. The final is scheduled for June 29, with a reserve day on June 30.

India vs England semi-final preview

The Guyana National Stadium, a 20,000-seater venue near Georgetown, has hosted the previous five Group C matches of the tournament. Spinners have found success on this ground, though pacers have also seen some favorable conditions, with Afghanistan's 183/5 against Uganda being the highest score so far.

India has had a strong tournament, with their only dropped points coming from an abandoned match against Canada due to rain in Lauderhill, Florida. They secured impressive wins over Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Australia to top Group 1 in the Super Eight stage. England, in contrast, had a more challenging path.

India has maintained a consistent team throughout the Super Eight, with Kuldeep Yadav replacing Mohammed Siraj. They are likely to continue with the same balance, offering six frontline bowling options, including three pacers and three spinners. A potential change could see Yuzvendra Chahal added for more spinning options, given the expected nature of the Guyana pitch.

England adjusted their strategy during the tournament, moving away from a batting-heavy lineup and incorporating four frontline pace bowlers, with Sam Curran and Chris Jordan batting at seven and eight to avoid a lengthy tail. Mark Wood has been left out. There is the option of bringing Will Jacks back as a part-time spinner or debuting Tom Hartley as an additional main spinner. However, with spin-bowling all-rounders Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone performing well, England might stick with the successful formula from the Super Eight.