World Cup 2019: Rain may play spoilsport for teams, but not ICC's finances

A no-result because of rain washing out matches could make the difference between qualification to the semi-finals or otherwise, but the International Cricket Council (ICC), organisers of the Cricket World Cup, may not suffer much of a financial loss.

The ICC is protected by rain insurance cover, which means it will be compensated for the refunds it is required to pay to ticket holders as applicable. There’s a 100 per cent refund to ticket purchasers if less than 15 overs have been bowled in a match, and a 50 per cent refund if play has taken place between 15.1 over and 29.5 over. There is no refund if 30 overs or more are played. 

The last bit is questionable since only a minimum of 20 overs a side constitutes a match. One-day cricket — as opposed to test cricket — is about providing spectators with a positive outcome. To be denied a refund in the absence of one or a thrilling tie arguably amounts to being short-changed. At the same time, people purchasing tickets are supposed to be cognizant of the rules governing refunds.

Rain has played spoilsport in a number of Cricket World Cups and is a phenomenon not restricted to England. The India-New Zealand match here was abandoned on Thursday without a ball being bowled as was the Pakistan-Sri Lanka game at Bristol on June 7. Also, Sri Lanka’s encounter with Bangladesh at the same venue on June 11 and the South Africa-West Indies match at Southampton were declared a no-result. In each case, the teams shared the two points on offer, as opposed to winners taking all.

The dates of fixtures are decided by the ICC in consultation with stakeholders, including TV rights holders. Since the bulk of cricket’s revenue emanates from TV coverage, the licensees command a significant influence over the scheduling of matches. They disapprove of clashes between matches, as they divide and reduce viewership per match — and therefore, impact on advertising and sponsorship income.    

Since matches are slotted on a daily basis during the league stage of a World Cup — occasionally two such in a day starting at different times — a contest spilling over to a reserve day means a simultaneously airing of matches, which TV networks are adamant about avoiding. 

The question, though, is should a participating team’s prospects in a championship as important as the World Cup be jeopardised because of an enforced concession to TV rights holders?