Tournament rules
Cricket Match Abandoned Due to Rain: Points and Rules Explained
ClubStory Editorial · 31 October 2026
Learn what abandoned and no result mean in cricket, how rain affects tournament points, and which rules organizers should publish before a league begins.
What rain means for the match result
Rain can stop a cricket match before either team gets a fair chance to complete its innings. When that happens, the result and points depend on the playing conditions for that competition. There is no single points rule that applies to every local tournament.
This guide explains the terms and the decisions an organizer should publish before the first match.
What does “abandoned” mean?
An abandoned match is one that officials stop because play cannot safely or practically continue—for example, because of rain or an unfit outfield. A match may also be called a “no result” when the competition’s minimum conditions for deciding a winner have not been met. The exact definitions and consequences are set by that competition’s playing conditions.
The match referee or appointed officials should record the interruption, the overs completed, and the decision in the official scorebook or match report.
Does a rain interruption always mean a no result?
No. If play can resume, the match may continue with fewer overs. In limited-overs competitions that adopt the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method, the target can be revised to account for the teams’ remaining scoring resources. DLS is not a general points-table formula: use it only when the tournament’s rules call for it and the competition has an authorized method/operator.
If the match cannot resume, or its minimum conditions are not met, the competition’s rules determine whether it is recorded as abandoned, tied, or no result.
How many points does each team get?
Check the published tournament regulations. Some competitions award points for a no-result match; others use different provisions. Do not assume that both teams automatically receive one point, or that a team automatically qualifies. The Maharashtra Cricket Association’s limited-overs playing conditions and the ICC’s match clauses illustrate that official competitions specify their own result procedures.
If two teams finish level on points, the tie-break order also comes from the competition rules. It may include wins, head-to-head results, net run rate, or another published method. See our cricket points-table and tie-break guide and net run rate example.
What organizers should announce before a tournament
Publish these details in the rules and share them with teams before fixtures begin:
- Who decides whether conditions are safe and when a match is abandoned.
- Whether a reserve day or rescheduled match is available.
- The minimum overs or other conditions required for a result.
- Whether DLS is used, in which formats, and who operates the approved calculation.
- The points awarded for a tie, abandoned match, or no result.
- The exact tie-break order and the matches included in each calculation.
Tell captains and scorers to record interruption times, overs, wickets, scores, and the official decision. This makes later points-table reviews easier. ClubStory’s live cricket scoring can help teams keep the match record organized; tournament-specific rules still need to be set by the organizer.
Before you update the points table
Confirm the match’s official status and apply the published competition rules consistently to every team. If the rules are silent, the organizer should document a fair decision and clarify the rule before the next fixture rather than inventing a universal points award.