Ground staff cover the pitch as rain stops play during the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade) The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 has entered its nerve-racking phase – the knockout stages. As the teams prepare for the high-stakes semifinals, another big challenge looms: the weather. Both Guwahati and Navi Mumbai, the venue for the semi-final, are under threat from rain clouds. With heavy showers in the forecast, fans and teams alike are wondering what will happen if rain spoils the show. Fortunately, the ICC has made arrangements to deal with such a scenario. The two semi-finals and the final each have a reserve day, so the outcome of these key matches is not solely determined by the weather.
So how do these reserve days actually work?
As per ICC regulations, every possible effort will be made to complete the game on the scheduled day, even if this means reducing the overs. If play is interrupted by rain, the umpire will attempt to restart the match with an adjusted number of overs per side. If the match cannot continue or remains unfinished, it will continue exactly from where it left off on the reserve day. For example, if a full 50-over game starts but rain halts proceedings before any overs are reduced, it will continue as a 50-over competition the following day. However, if the match had already entered a shortened phase, say 46 overs per side, then the reserves would rise from that point on the day.
But what if rain spoils both days?
If it is not possible to play even after the reserve day, the team that is higher in the table from the group stage advances. In that event, Australia and England – the top two teams from the league stage – would advance to the final if their respective semi-finals were completed. And in the worst case, when the final itself is abandoned during both days, the trophy will be shared between the two finalists.
