In cricket, a reserve day is an extra day allocated by match organisers to ensure that a game, especially a high-stakes fixture like the IPL final, can be completed if it cannot be finished on its originally scheduled day due to weather interruptions, typically rain. Reserve days are particularly common in knockout matches such as semi-finals and finals of major tournaments, where a result is crucial, and the match cannot end without a conclusion. The reserve day acts as a contingency plan, offering match officials, teams, broadcasters, and fans the assurance that the match has an alternative window in case of a washout or any other force majeure that prevents completion. This article talks about the IPL 2025 reserve day.
Credit: Crick Tracker
Reserve days do not necessarily mean starting the match from scratch. The rules for using a reserve day depend on how much play was completed on the scheduled day. If no play is possible on the original day due to continuous rain or poor ground conditions, the entire match is rescheduled to begin afresh on the reserve day. If some play is possible, for example, 10 or 20 overs are bowled before rain stops play, the match continues from the same point on the reserve day with the same conditions. On the original match day, the match referee may allow play to continue beyond regular hours before deciding to move the game to the reserve day.
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The 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League was put on hold due to problems between India and Pakistan, but the tournament was resumed after the tension between the two countries ended. However, this caused IPL 2025 to get delayed, and the final of the Indian Premier League this season was shifted from 25th May 2025 to 3rd June 2025. While the other knockout games, like Qualifier 1, Eliminator, and Qualifier 2, did not have reserve days, the final of IPL 2025 does have a reserve day, which can be used in case of delay caused by factors like rain. The IPL final will be shifted to 4th June if the game cannot be completed on 3rd June.
Exactly 2 years ago. IPL has been moved to reserve day. pic.twitter.com/VMi8uORVJB
— Juylov Vladislav (@juylov_vlad) May 28, 2025
Similar to previous years, the match officials will aim to complete the game on the original day by using extended cut-off times. However, if it looks like play cannot be completed on the first day, the match will then shift to the reserve day. Although this does help increase the chances of finishing the game, both the main day and the reserve days may get washed out. If this were to happen, the Indian Premier League would still have to award one of the two finalists with the IPL trophy. In such a case, Punjab Kings will be awarded the IPL trophy over the Royal Challengers Bangalore because they finished on top of the table during the group stages.
Cricket has evolved in many ways through technology, formats, and broadcasting, and reserve days are part of that modern evolution, ensuring fairness, entertainment, and commercial viability. The IPL 2025 final, with a planned reserve day, stands as a testament to cricket’s commitment to giving fans and players the ultimate experience without compromise. As the game grows bigger, weather-proofing cricket’s biggest moments are not just a convenience; they are a necessity, and reserve days are the frontline of that strategy. While having a reserve day does not necessarily make sure that the game will happen, it does increase the chances of the game getting completed by a huge margin, and the reserve day is a very important aspect in big games.
For more news articles and informative updates on the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well as other football and cricket updates, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com.
Guransh Machra is a sportswriter at Gutshot Magazine. He covers football news from local leagues like the Indian Super League as well as international leagues like the Premier League. He follows various sports like Football, Cricket, Formula 1, and Tennis. Apart from sports, Guransh is also enthusiastic about reading and gaming.
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