The Proteas and India are expected to lock horns in the T20 World Cup Final on Saturday at 16:30 SAST, but weather reports suggest that the reserve day may be activated at 16:30 SAST on Sunday 30 June at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados.
Setting the Scene
Two unbeaten teams with a rich history in cricket are scheduled to clash on Saturday 29 June 2024.
India is in their 7th World Cup final and South Africa will play their first-ever World Cup final.
Whoever wins the final will be the first team to win a men’s T20 World Cup unbeaten.
The pressure will be on India, who have a bunch of players who are experienced in tournament knock-out cricket.
The Proteas have a mix of experienced players and young players but don’t have many cricketers who have played a lot of knockout cricket.
This Proteas outfit has a chance to reach heights no team before them has managed to see.
Both teams have had a similar tournament. Their bowling attacks have dominated while there have been questions regarding some key batters’ form.
Rohit Sharma (57) and Suryakumar Yadav (47) both hit form with the bat in the semi-final, while Kuldeep Yadav (3-19), Axar Patel (3-23) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-12) were crucial with the ball that saw England bowled out for 103.
South Africa’s out-of-form batters Reeza Hendricks (29) and Aiden Markram (23) found some rhythm by completing a low chase in the semi-final. But it was their bowlers who impressed with Marco Jansen (3-16), Tabraiz Shamsi (3-6), Kagiso Rabada (2-14) and Anrich Nortje (2-7) responsible for skittling Afghanistan for 56.
All of that is now in the past. With plenty of stars on display, a mouthwatering clash is expected.
The Weather
Unfortunately, rain may play a massive spoilsport in the final.
A tropical storm is expected. According to the weather reports, there is a high chance of rainfall throughout the day on June 29 in Barbados. However, the weather prediction is expected to clear closer to the toss and start up again later in the match. Rain is also expected to be disruptive on Sunday 30 June which is the reserve day for the final.
If rain does interrupt the match, or there’s a delay on Saturday, there is an additional 190 minutes allocated to complete the match. The rule for T20 cricket in the knockout stages is that a minimum of 10 overs per side is required for a valid result.
If the match can’t be completed on Saturday, it will be moved to the reserve day on Sunday from where it left off.
There will be intent to finish off the match on the reserve day even with reduced overs if necessary. If the match ends in a tie, Super Overs will decide the winner. If the Super Overs can’t take place on the reserve day, the match will be ruled a no result.
If the reserve day is rained out, the trophy will be shared.
The Venue
Nine matches have been played at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados in this tournament. The first game went to a Super Over. There haven’t been any close matches at the venue after.
The teams batting first won three of the next four matches that were completed at the venue, and Scotland scored 90-0 in 10 overs against England before that game was called off. The last two matches in Bridgetown saw West Indies and England bowl the USA out cheaply and complete comfortable chases.
South Africa hasn’t played at the venue in this tournament, but India has, completing a 47-run win over Afghanistan.
Check out our Preview on Friday at 18:00 SAST for more information about the final, such as Players to Watch, Fan Opinions and more.
