IPL 2023 Playoffs: What Happens If Qualifier 1, Eliminator & Qualifier 2 Matches Are Washed Out Due To Rain?

IPL 2023 has reached the climax stage as four teams - Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians - confirmed their spots for the playoffs in the sixteenth season of the Indian Premier League.

The IPL 2023 Playoffs will feature four matches - Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and then the Final. GT (20 points) finished top of the table followed by CSK (17 points), LSG (17 points) and MI (16 points).

The top two teams after the round-robin stage will clash in the Qualifier 1 on Tuesday (May 23) followed by Eliminator, which will see the 3rd-placed and 4th-placed teams clash on Wednesday (May 24). Both the matches will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

The winner of Qualifier 1 will head directly into the final, scheduled to take place on Sunday (May 28) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will also face the winner of Eliminator in Qualifier 2 on Friday (May 26).

IPL 2023 Rain Rules: What Happens If Weather Interrupts Play in Indian Premier League

The weather has played spoilsport in only two matches in the league stage, but most parts of the country have seen rain over the last week. And that could have an impact on the crucial matches in IPL 2023.

The forecast says there is clear weather with sunny days throughout the week in Chennai and Ahmedabad, including the playoff matchdays. But what happens if it rains and there is no play or a truncated match or the match is tied?

IPL 2023 Playoff result in case of rain or weather interruption

As it stands, there is no information on a reserve day for the IPL 2023 playoffs. If there is any, the interrupted matches will be continued or played on the reserve days. But, what if there is no reserve day as well?

As per the playing conditions of IPL during the league stage, a match result could be determined only if both the teams played a minimum of 5 overs each with DLS rules coming into play. If the minimum overs was not completed, then both teams would share a point each.

Now, when it comes to the playoff - the qualifier 1, eliminator, qualifier 2 and final - the same rule applies, but if there is no result possible then the winner of the respective match will be determined based on where they finished on the points table.

Also, according to IPL playing conditions for 2022, there was an extra time of 120 minutes was available for each playoff match. A playoff match could start on the original day as late as 9.40pm without the number of overs being reduced (10 minute interval, time-outs retained).

The Final match can start on the original day as late as 10.10 pm (as it was 8 PM start) without the number of overs being reduced (10 minute interval, time-outsretained). But the start time and reserve day for the final are yet to be confirmed.

As per IPL conditions: "If any of the Final, the Eliminator, Qualifier 1 or Qualifier 2 matches are tied, or there is no result, the following shall apply:

16.11.1 the relevant teams shall compete in a Super Over and if necessary further Super Overs to determine which team is the winner of the Final; and

16.11.2 if conditions do not permit a Super Over, or subsequent Super Overs within the time available to determine the winner as described in Appendix F then the team which, at the end of the round-robin matches, finished 1st in the table will be deemed the winner of the Final.

Meaning, if the Qualifiers and Eliminator are washed out or abandoned due to the weather without the ability to play the Super Over, then then team that finished better on the points table will progress to the next rounds.

If the Qualifier 1 is washed out, the first-placed team enters the final, while the second-placed team will progress to the Qualifier 2, where they will face the winner of Eliminator.

If the Eliminator is washed out, the third-placed team will move into the Qualifier 2. If the Qualifier 2 is washed out, then the second-placed team or the qualifier 1 loser earns a final spot.

If the final also is washed out, then there is chance of the match being played on a reserve day (not confirmed as yet, but could be played on May 29). In case there is no play possible, the team that topped the table will be awarded the final match and the trophy.