India vs New Zealand: What happens if Dubai rain plays spoilsport in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final?

India vs New Zealand: Rain has played quite a part in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with as many as three games abandoned due to wet outfields. While the Australia vs South Africa and Pakistan vs Bangladesh games were completely washed out without a ball being bowled, the Afghanistan vs Australia encounter had to be abandoned after rain gods opened up during the Aussie chase. Incidentally, all three matches were played in Pakistan.

Dubai, on the other hand, has been pretty safe for all the teams playing their Champions Trophy matches, especially India. Even though Dubai saw unexpected rain a few days before the Champion Trophy 2025 began, weather reports suggest it is unlikely to rain during the March 9 final. So far, rain has not disrupted any of the four matches played in the Champions Trophy 2025.

For March 9 (Sunday), Dubai's weather is expected to be clear, with 48 per cent cloud cover during the day. The chance of rain is just one per cent, while temperatures will hover around 32°C during the day and 24°C at night.

What happens if India vs New Zealand final is washed out?

According to the tournament rules, the knockout games were allotted a reserve day. This means March 10 (Monday) is a reserve day for the Champions Trophy 2025 final. If the match gets washed out due to rain on March 9, then it will take place on Reserve Day. Or else, if play is interrupted midway, it will resume on the reserve day from the point where it stopped.

What happens if no play is possible on Reserve Day?

Unlike in the semifinals, if no play is possible on Reserve Day, the trophy will be shared by India and New Zealand. In the semifinals, if no play were possible on Reserve Day, the team who finished higher in the group stages would have advanced to the final.

What is a Reserve Day in ICC tournaments?

Reserve Day is an extra day allotted to the knockout matches of all the International Cricket Council (ICC) matches to ensure a result. It comes into play when there is a rain washout or longer rain interruption on the actual day of the match. One of the most recent examples of Reserve Day in an ICC event happened during the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal between India and New Zealand at the Old Trafford in Manchester.