ICC in dilemma to schedule reserve days for semi-finals and final amid tight schedule of 2024 T20 World Cup
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been caught up in a difficult situation regarding the schedule of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The big ticket event is slated to take place from June 1 to 29 in the West Indies and the USA.
The two semi-finals of the T20 World Cup are slated to take place on June 26 and 27 in Trinidad and Guyana, respectively. The final of the mega event will be played on June 29 in Barbados.
However, if the reserve days come into existence, the team playing in the second semi-final will only have a one-day turnaround time to feature in the final. Moreover, the teams winning in Guyana will also have to travel to Barbados, which is 900 kms apart.
Although it will be a summer season in the Caribbean, you cannot predict the weather, as was seen in the recent IPL 2024 game in Ahmedabad being washed out. So, the debate on the reserve days is certainly worth taking a shot at owing to the significance of the event.
The ICC confirmed the reserve days for the semi-finals and final in their March release. However, the apex organization is yet to speak in public regarding the reserve days, which is vital for the participating teams to get proper rest ahead of the final.
"It was also confirmed during the meetings that ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 would have reserve days scheduled for the semi-finals and final," the ICC said through a media release after a board meeting.
In past ICC events, there has been a two-day gap between the second semi-final and the final. In the 2023 World Cup, the second semi-final between South Africa and Australia took place on November 16, followed by the final on November 19.
Bilateral series of different teams ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup
The England team will play a four-match T20I series against Pakistan from May 22 to 30. Bangladesh will be on a tour to the United States to play a three-match T20I series from May 21 to 25. The Caribbean team will play host to the South African team in a three-match T20I series from May 23-26.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands will host Scotland and Ireland in the T20 Tri-series from May 18 to 24.