NEW DELHI: The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 semifinal between India and Australia at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday promises to be a blockbuster — if the weather allows it. With heavy morning showers predicted, cricket fans across the country woke up with one anxious question: will rain play spoilsport?Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!A yellow alert for heavy rain was issued for Thursday morning across Mumbai, with thunderstorms expected until around 7 am IST. According to AccuWeather’s forecast, the morning will see a thundershower in spots, followed by clouds giving way to clearer skies. The chance of precipitation is 55% early in the day, but it’s the afternoon brightening that brings relief for players and fans alike.
By 3 pm, when India and Australia are set to take the field, conditions are expected to be ideal for cricket — hazy sunshine, 33°C temperature, and only a 20% chance of rain. The risk drops even further to 4% by 7 pm, making it highly likely that the match will go ahead without major interruptions.Reserve Day RulesStill, given Navi Mumbai’s unpredictable coastal weather, officials remain on alert. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already made provisions for a reserve day for both semifinals and the final, ensuring that rain alone does not decide who reaches Sunday’s title clash.According to ICC regulations, every possible effort will be made to complete the game on the scheduled day, even if overs have to be reduced. If rain interrupts play, the match will resume from the exact point where it was stopped on the reserve day.For instance, if the game starts as a full 50-over contest but rain halts play midway, it will continue as a 50-over match the following day. However, if overs have already been reduced — say to 46 per side — the game will resume from that revised point.But what if the rain refuses to relent even on the reserve day? In that case, the team ranked higher on the group stage points table will automatically progress to the final. That means Australia, who topped the standings, would move through if the semifinal is completely washed out.And in the rare event of the final itself being abandoned across both days, the trophy would be shared between the two finalists.Tough challenge for IndiaFor now, though, the weather gods seem to be smiling just in time. Once the morning thunderstorms clear, Navi Mumbai should have perfect cricketing conditions — setting the stage for a high-voltage India-Australia clash that could rekindle memories of Harmanpreet Kaur’s iconic 171 in 2017.After surviving a turbulent campaign, India are looking for that one magical performance to break Australia’s dominance.
