Schedule of Twenty20 World Cup

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.

Sunday, Mar 20: 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.

Wed, Mar 30: Women’s semifinal (2nd group A vs 1st group B) (PM), New Delhi; Men’s semifinal (Super 10 Group 1 2nd vs Super 10 Group 2 1st) (Eve.), New Delhi.

Thursday, Mar 31: Women’s semifinal (1st group A vs 2nd group B) (PM), Mumbai; Men’s semifinal (Super 10 Group 1 2nd v Super 10 Group 2 1st) (Eve.), Mumbai.

Fri, Apr 1: Rest/Travel day

Sat, Apr 2: Rest/Travel day

Sun, 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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Series won’t happen for a year if not held within Jan.: PCB

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said if the proposed India-Pakistan bilateral series is not held within the next month it would not be possible to have one for the next one year.

“I don’t see the series happening in the next one year if it is not held at this time as both teams have international commitment throughout 2016,” Khan said.

He also made it clear that the bilateral series with India that is still undecided and the World T20 were two separate things.

“This is a bilateral series between two nations the World T20 is an ICC event.”

But the PCB chief said in an interview that the PCB will have to seek its government permission to send the team to India for the World T20 in March.

“We are monitoring the situation but given the current environment in India with regards to Pakistan we will have to ask our government for permission whether the security situation is ok for us to send our team,” he said.

Khan sounded visibly disappointed at the failure of the Indian board and government to clear the short bilateral series with Pakistan in Sri Lanka.

“Yes I know I am being criticised by some people for trying to have this series and pushing for it but in the end we just want it to happen this time or else we will have to wait for the next one year.

“We feel that India must fulfill the MOU signed between the two boards and if the series is held it will play a role in improving India and Pakistan relations.”

Khan also insisted that if India didn’t agree to play the series the PCB would obviously suffer financial losses but would not go bankrupt.

“By grace of god we are in a stable financial position and though not having the series will deprive us of lot of estimated revenues but it does not mean we will be in a bad financial position.”

The PCB chief said he had still not given up hope and even the ICC wanted the two boards to play the series soon.

“We are going to wait for a few more days at the most to get a positive response from India after that we move on to other things,” he said.

Khan confirmed that ECB president Giles Clarke was playing the role of a mediator in the whole issue.

“He has been very helpful since he is also the head of the ICC task force on Pakistan cricket. He has also advised us to remain patient and wait for a positive reply,” he said.

Khan felt that the Indian board also wanted to play the series but said it was not up to them to convince their government to give clearance.

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ICC happy with Eden progress for World T20 finals

The International Cricket Council inspection team foresees “no roadblock” in Eden Gardens hosting the ICC World Twenty20 finals, even as it’s learnt that they want two more dressing rooms in the venue.

Led by ICC head of events, Chris Tetley and BCCI tournament director M.V. Sridhar, a joint team today did an inspection of the venue and they asserted that there’s absolutely “no problem”.

It’s, however, learnt that the ICC has suggested for two more dressing rooms in order to accommodate the women’s teams as the World T20 men’s and women’s finals will be held on the same day but in different sessions.

“Today has been extremely positive and we’re really looking forward to the World Twenty20 to be played here,” Tetley told a news conference after a marathon recce that went on for more than five hours.

Asked whether the Eden got ICC’s green signal, Tetley said: “It’s not a matter of green signal, it’s a matter of discussing preparations on all aspects of staging the tournament. I don’t foresee any roadblocks.”

Tetley was also part of the 2011 ICC World Cup inspection team that had rejected the Eden to host the India-England first match on February 27.

“I don’t think we need to look back at (50 overs) Cricket World Cup. We’re looking forward towards the World Twenty20 and I’m quite certain that it will be a very successful tournament, staged here at Eden Gardens,” Tetley said.

“These are two different tournaments we look at the venues in a totally different way. There’s absolutely no problem. There’re no problems,” he said.

“There’re many things you need for the ICC World Twenty20 which may not fit the normal template of a cricket venue. We look at the existing facilities and we discuss between ourselves with BCCI and CAB and how best we achieve what we need to,” Tetley said in the joint news conference with Sridhar and CAB joint-secretary Avishek Dalmiya.

Assuring that the dressing room was a non-issue, Dalmiya said: “It’s all about arrangements and rearrangements. We’re not talking about any new construction of dressing room or anything like that. The meeting was more about coordination.”

The detail schedule of the World Twenty20 in March-April next year will be announced in Mumbai on Friday.

“The schedule will be announced tomorrow in Mumbai but as you all know it’s been already indicated the finals will be in Kolkata,” World Twenty20 tournament director Sridhar said.

“I think we’ve successfully identified and we’re comfortable. There’s no problem at all.”

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