Arch-rivals India and Pakistan were today placed in the same group for next year's International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20, setting the stage for a high-voltage clash between the two sides on March 19 in Dharamsala. The ICC today unveiled the groups and schedule of the event, which will be staged across eight venues in India from March 8 to April 3. The two countries are currently undecided on whether to engage in a bilateral series later this month owing to political tensions.
India will open their campaign against New Zealand on March 15 in Nagpur before taking on Pakistan. India's other matches will be against the qualifying Group A winners in Bengaluru on March 23 and Australia in Mohali on March 27. A total of 58 matches, including 35 men's and 23 women's games, will be played in the 27-day tournament in Bengaluru, Chennai, Dharamsala, Kolkata, Mohali, Mumbai, Nagpur and New Delhi.
New Delhi and Mumbai will host the semi-finals on March 30 and 31, respectively, while Eden Gardens in Kolkata will be the venue of the April 3 finals.
ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar, who attended the launch ceremony in Mumbai, said, “India is a country where cricket is a religion and not many places can match the passion for the game like India. I am fully confident that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will deliver an outstanding world cricket event, just like the ICC Cricket World Cups in 1987,1996 and 2011.”
“The ICC and BCCI are fully committed and will work together to make this a memorable event. I invite fans from across the world to witness fast-paced cricketing action on the field and enjoy the hospitality and culture of India, off it.”
BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur promised a well-organised World Cup. “We, as hosts, are fully prepared to organise one of the most entertaining spectacles in world cricket. We draw experience from hosting three ICC Cricket World Cups and are ready to make the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 one of the most memorable events.
“Our preparations are in full swing, and BCCI and ICC is working together to make it a lifetime experience for the players and the fans. India is a vibrant country – young, full of colour, energy and exuberance - and is very much like the concept of Twenty20 cricket itself. We would encourage everyone involved with the game to experience the best of India,” he said.
Prize money increased
The women's semi-finals and final will be followed by the men's knock-out matches. There is a reserve day for the finals. The men's event will carry a total prize money of $ 5.6 million, which is an 86 per cent increase from the 2014 tournament, while the total prize money for the women's event is $ 400,000, which is a 122 per cent increase from the Bangladesh event.
There have been five different winners of the men's event while the England women's team won the inaugural tournament at home in 2009 before Australia won three straight titles in the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2010, 2012 and 2014, respectively.
According to the men's event format, eight sides in two groups of four will feature in the first round matches, with the group winners joining eight sides in the Super 10 stage (two groups of five teams).
The top two sides from both the Super 10 Groups will then qualify for the semi-finals. In the women's event, the 10 sides will be divided into two groups and the top two sides from each group will progress to the semi-finals.
The first round matches in the men's event will take place in Dharamsala and Nagpur from March 8 to 13 and will feature Bangladesh, Netherlands, Ireland, debutant Oman (all in Group A), Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Afghanistan (all in Group B).
In a double-header on the opening day on March 8, Zimbabwe will face Hong Kong in the afternoon match, followed by the evening match between Scotland and Afghanistan. Both matches will be played in Nagpur. The group winners will join Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and host India in the Super 10 stage, which will be played alongside the women's event from March 15 to 28.
Men's defending champions Sri Lanka have been placed in Super 10 Group 1 along with South Africa, West Indies, England and the Group B winner. They will open their title defence against the Group B winners in Kolkata on March 17, and play West Indies in Bengaluru on March 20, England in New Delhi on March 26 and South Africa in New Delhi on March 28.
Hosts India, who won the inaugural tournament in South Africa in 2007, are in Super 10 Group 2 along with 2009 winners Pakistan,Australia, New Zealand and the Group A winners.
Pakistan will take on the Group A winners in Kolkata on March 16, before locking horns with India. Their remaining two matches will be in Mohali against New Zealand and Australia on March 22 and 25, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the women's tournament, 2009 champions England are in Group B along with the West Indies, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and will start off against Bangladesh in Bengaluru on 17 March. Their other matches will be against India (22 March in Dharamsala), West Indies (24 March in Dharamsala) and Pakistan (27 March in Chennai).
Australia women, who will be bidding to win the title for the fourth straight time, are in Group A along with South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland. Their opening match will be against South Africa (18 March in Nagpur), followed by matches against New Zealand (21 March in Nagpur), Sri Lanka (24 March in New Delhi) and Ireland (24 March in New Delhi).
The ICC World Twenty20 trophy was also showcased at the ceremony before its departure to Scotland on December 13, as part of the Nissan Trophy Tour. The trophy will return to New Delhi on 1 February after visiting 11 countries.
Following is the complete schedule of the ICC World Twenty20 to be held in India next year.
Men’s:
First round (group winners to progress to second round).
Group A — Bangladesh, Netherlands, Ireland and Oman
Group B — Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Afghanistan
Second round groups:
Super 10 Group 1: Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, England and winner of Group B (Q1B).
Super 10 Group 2: India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and winner of Group A (Q1A).
Women’s:
Group A — Australia (A1), South Africa (A2), New Zealand (A3), Sri Lanka (A4) and Ireland (A5).
Group B — England (B1), West Indies (B2), India (B3), Pakistan (B4) and Bangladesh (B5).
Schedule:
Tuesday, Mar 8: Zimbabwe vs Hong Kong (PM), Nagpur; Scotland vs Afghanistan (Eve.), Nagpur.
Wednesday, Mar 9: Bangladesh vs Netherlands (PM), Dharamsala; Ireland vs Oman (Eve.), Dharamsala.
Thursday, Mar 10: Scotland vs Zimbabwe (PM), Nagpur; Hong Kong vs Afghanistan (Eve.), Nagpur.
Friday, Mar 11: Netherlands vs Oman (PM), Dharamsala; Bangladesh vs Ireland (Eve.), Dharamsala.
Saturday, Mar 12: Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan (PM), Nagpur; Scotland vs Hong Kong (Eve.), Nagpur.
Sunday, Mar 13: Netherlands vs Ireland (PM), Dharamsala; Bangladesh vs Oman (Eve.), Dharamsala.
Tuesday, Mar 15: India vs Bangladesh (W) (PM), Bengaluru; New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (W) (Eve.), New Delhi; New Zealand vs India (M) (Eve), Nagpur.
Wednesday, Mar 16: West Indies vs England (M) (PM), Mumbai; Pakistan vs Q1A (M) (Eve.), Kolkata; West Indies vs Pakistan (W) (Eve.), Chennai.
Thursday: Mar 17: England vs Bangladesh (W) (PM), Bengaluru; Sri Lanka vs Q1B (M) (Eve.), Kolkata.
Friday, Mar 18: New Zealand vs Ireland (W) (PM), Mohali; Australia vs New Zealand (M) (PM), Dharamsala; South Africa vs England (M) (Eve.), Mumbai; Australia vs South Africa (W) (Eve.), Nagpur.
Saturday, Mar 19: India vs Pakistan (W) (PM), New Delhi; India vs Pakistan (M) (Eve.), Dharamsala.
South Africa vs Q1B (M) (PM), Mumbai; West Indies vs Bangladesh (W) (PM), Chennai; Sri Lanka vs Ireland (W) (Eve.), Mohali; Sri Lanka vs West Indies (M) (Eve.), Bengaluru.
Monday, Mar 21: Australia vs New Zealand (W) (PM), Nagpur; Australia vs Q1A (M) (Eve.), Bengaluru.
Tuesday, Mar 22: England vs India (W) (PM), Dharamsala; New Zealand vs Pakistan (M) (Eve.), Mohali.
Wednesday, Mar 23: England vs Q1B (M) (PM), New Delhi; India vs Q1A (M), (Eve.), Bengaluru; South Africa v Ireland (W) (Eve.), Chennai.
Thursday, Mar 24: England vs West Indies (W) (Eve.), Dharamsala; Australia vs Sri Lanka (W) (PM), New Delhi; Pakistan vs Bangladesh (W) (Eve.), New Delhi.
Friday, Mar 25: Pakistan vs Australia (M) (PM), Mohali; South Africa vs West Indies (M), (Eve.), Nagpur.
Saturday, Mar 26: Australia vs Ireland (W) (PM), New Delhi; Q1A vs New Zealand (M) (PM), Kolkata; England vs Sri Lanka (M) (Eve.), New Delhi; South Africa vs New Zealand (W) (Eve.), Bengaluru.
Sunday, Mar 27: West Indies vs India (W) (PM), Mohali; India vs Australia (M) (Eve.), Mohali; England vs Pakistan (W) (Eve.), Chennai; Q1B vs West Indies (M) (PM), Nagpur.
Monday, Mar 28: South Africa vs Sri Lanka (W) (PM), Bengaluru; South Africa vs Sri Lanka (M) (Eve.), New Delhi.
Tuesday, Mar 29: Rest/Travel day.
Wednesday, Mar 30: Women’s semi-final (2nd group A vs 1st group B) (PM), New Delhi; Men’s semi—final (Super 10 Group 1 2nd vs Super 10 Group 2 1st) (Eve.), New Delhi.
Thursday, Mar 31: Women’s semi-final (1st group A vs 2nd group B) (PM), Mumbai; Men’s semi—final (Super 10 Group 1 2nd v Super 10 Group 2 1st) (Eve.), Mumbai.
Friday, Apr 1: Rest/Travel day
Saturday, Apr 2: Rest/Travel day
Sunday, Apr 3: Women’s final (PM), Kolkata; Men’s final (Eve.), Kolkata.
Note: (’M’ denotes men’s match; ‘W’ denotes women’s match; PM means afternoon match and Eve. means night match. Match timings to be confirmed in due course).
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