IND vs PAK: Rain Threatens To Wash Out India-Pakistan T20 World Cup Match At MCG

India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening encounter of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, on Sunday, October 23. Accuweather has predicted rain in the Australian metropolis from October 21, and if the news reports are to be believed, then rain can play the spoilsport on the big day.

There are no reserve days for group matches and they are only available for semifinal and final matches. So, if the India-Pakistan match gets washed out, the two teams will not face each other before the finals.

Very High Chance Of Showers – The Bureau Of Meteorology

Rain may not only cause a delay, but it may also completely wash out the fixture. There is a 96% chance of rain on Friday, October 21, and the same weather is likely to continue on Saturday, October 22. The city is also expected to receive heavy rain on Sunday, October 23. In any case, a completely cloudy cover will help the fast bowlers get some swing and seam from the Melbourne track.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting “very high (90 percent) chance of showers” and potentially thunderstorms.

“The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then tending southerly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon,” says the Australian Bureau.

Minimum Of Five Overs Need To Be Bowled Per Side For The Result

A minimum of five overs must be bowled per side for a game to go on. Otherwise, it will have to be called off, and in such a case, both the teams will get one point each, as per the rules of the tournament. For every win, a team will get two points and zero points for a loss. If the match in Melbourne gets washed out, it will be an advantage for the other teams in Group B.

The warm-up match between the West Indies and the Netherlands on October 12 in Melbourne was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Zimbabwe v Namibia, Sri Lanka v Ireland, and Scotland v UAE were cancelled on October 13 and all three matches are scheduled to be played in Melbourne.

Also read: IND vs PAK: Former Indian Spinner Harbhajan Singh Picks His Playing XI Against Pakistan, No Place For Rishabh Pant, R Ashwin And Harshal Patel