Reserve Days in Cricket: Planning for Rain Disruption
Reserve days provide extra time to complete matches that rain has disrupted. This article explains when reserve days are used, how they are managed logistically, and which cricket formats use them.
What a Reserve Day Is
A reserve day is an additional day scheduled after the main match day(s) specifically to allow play that couldn't happen due to weather disruption: the reserve day isn't automatically used — it is only triggered when the match cannot reach a valid result within the original scheduled time; in Test cricket, the reserve day concept doesn't apply (Tests have a 5th day but it's part of the regular schedule, not a 'reserve day' in the ICC-specific sense); and in ICC knockout matches and finals, reserve days are specifically allocated — the ICC recognises that a major tournament final or semi-final that is completely rained off without any result is unacceptable, so the reserve day ensures at minimum a DLS result is possible. The reserve day is specifically distinct from DLS (which adjusts targets) — the reserve day provides additional playing time for the match to reach a more complete natural result.
When Reserve Days Are Used
Reserve days are used in ICC tournament knockout matches and finals: the World Test Championship Final has a specific reserve day (the 6th day) that can be used if rain prevents a result in 5 days — the 2021 WTC Final used the reserve day when rain on days 1 and 2 prevented significant play; ICC Men's Cricket World Cup semi-finals and finals have reserve days; ICC T20 World Cup semi-finals and finals have reserve days; and ICC Champions Trophy knockout matches have reserve days. Group stage matches in ICC tournaments do NOT have reserve days — if a group match is completely rained off, it is abandoned with the points shared (each team receives 1 point in the group standings). Only the most crucial knockout matches justify the logistical cost of holding a venue, officials, and team schedules open for an additional day.
Logistics of Reserve Day Management
Reserve days require specific logistical pre-planning: the venue must be available on the reserve day — the ground is specifically kept clear of any other bookings; the match officials (umpires, match referee) must be available for an additional day; the playing conditions must allow play on the reserve day (if the reserved day is also rained out completely, a DLS result from whatever play was possible replaces the match result); and team schedules must accommodate the possibility of playing on the reserve day — teams do not travel home after the original match day if rain has prevented a complete result. The ICC formally designates the reserve day in the match schedule before the tournament begins — both teams know the reserve day exists when they travel to the match.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the reserve day is also rained out?
If the reserve day provides insufficient play for a valid result, the match is resolved by: if enough overs were bowled in the original match days to produce a valid DLS result (minimum over thresholds met), DLS is applied to produce a result; if the minimum overs were never met across all days including the reserve day, the match is declared a draw or no-result; for ICC finals that require a winner, a super over or other tiebreaker may be used — ICC playing conditions specify the exact procedure for each tournament; and for the WTC Final specifically, if the match cannot be completed with a result, both teams share the WTC title as joint World Test Champions. The ICC planning for reserve days specifically includes contingency protocols for the reserve day itself being rain-affected — no tournament ends with an absolute no-result if it can possibly be avoided.
Do reserve days apply to bilateral series matches?
No — reserve days are specifically an ICC tournament feature and do not apply to bilateral series matches: bilateral series matches that are rained off are either abandoned (and shared points or rescheduled if the series format allows) or completed under DLS if minimum overs are met; bilateral series typically have a fixed schedule without reserve day options — the series continues to the next match regardless of rain affecting an individual match; and in bilateral series with a fixed number of matches, a match that is abandoned without DLS result often means that match doesn't happen (the series proceeds with one fewer match — a 3-match series may become effectively a 2-match series if one match is washed out). Some bilateral series schedules include a 'dead rubber' match that can serve as a makeup date, but this is specific to particular series agreements rather than a universal policy.
Has a reserve day ever been used in a T20 World Cup final?
Reserve days have been available for T20 World Cup finals but their use has been limited: the specific T20 World Cup edition reserve day usage depends on weather conditions at the specific tournament's host country; T20 cricket has a minimum 5-over completion threshold for DLS to apply — this shorter threshold means T20 World Cup finals can often produce a DLS result even with significant rain without needing the reserve day; and in the T20 World Cup editions where finals were played in countries with reliable weather (West Indies, India, UAE/Oman), reserve days were scheduled but not needed. The existence of the reserve day for major finals is primarily a reassurance and logistical precaution rather than an expected necessity — the ICC's experience across multiple editions has refined when and how reserve days are allocated.