By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

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David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen are steadying things for South Africa after they had lost four wickets early on in the match.

Miller has been the most aggressive at the moment.

South Africa take on Australia in the second semi-final of World Cup 2023.

But rain can play spoilsport as the Met department has predicted more rains in Kolkata on Thursday and Friday. The city has been witnessing rain over the last few days. The weather department had said that Thursday could see some rain and the Reserve Day on Friday might also see wet weather and multiple spells of rain.

The India Meteorological Department on Thursday morning predicted "Light rain with thunder likely" on both Thursday and Friday

The Met department has said the maximum temperature will be around 29 degrees Celsius when South African and Australian skippers call for the match toss around 1.30 pm IST on Thursday. The humidity will be around 69 per cent with 100 per cent cloud cover and at least a 25 per cent chance of rain.

The weather is expected to worsen around the evening, when the temperature will dip to around 24 degrees and humidity will rise to around 84 per cent with 100 per cent cloud cover over the ground and 25 per cent chances of rain.

Rain rules for World Cup matches

The ICC has said if bad weather stops the semi-final from finishing on Thursday, the match will resume on Friday on the reserve day from the same point.

The ICC has set two working examples:

1. Match starts at 50 overs per side and there is an interruption at 19 overs. Overs are reduced to 46 overs per side and play will resume. Before another ball is bowled it rains and play is abandoned for the day.

As the match did not resume under the revised overs, the match should continue on the reserve day at the original 50 overs per side with the overs reduced if necessary during the reserve day.

2. The same start as in example 1 i.e. match starts at 50 overs per side and there is an interruption at 19 overs. Overs are reduced to 46 overs per side and play is about to resume.

This time, play starts and after an over has been bowled it rains and play is abandoned for the day. As the match has resumed, it is continued on the reserve day at 46 overs per side with the overs further reduced if necessary during the reserve day.

What happens if there is no results?

ICC rules say if the semifinals are washed out due to rain and no winner is decided, the team with a higher net run rate in the World Cup points table will reach the final. The points table has the top scores and NRR based on the teams' performance in the league phase.  

If the semifinal between Australia and South Africa is washed out on both Thursday and Friday, South Africa will directly qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final scheduled on November 19.