Schedule announced for ICC World Twenty20 India 2016

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Schedule announced for ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the groups and schedule of the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, which will be staged across eight venues in India from March 8-April 3. A total of 58 tournament matches, including 35 men’s matches and 23 women’s matches, 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. 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 8-13 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, to be followed by the evening match between Scotland and Afghanistan. Both the 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 15-28. 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 winner 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 winner. India will launch their campaign in Nagpur against New Zealand on March 15, while they will go head to head with Pakistan in Dharamsala on March 19. Their other matches will be against the Group A winner in Bengaluru on March 23 and Australia in Mohali on March 27. The 2009 champions Pakistan will take on the Group A winner in Kolkata on March 16, before locking horns with rivals India in Dharamsala on March 19. Their remaining two matches will be in Mohali against New Zealand and Australia on March 22 and 25, respectively. England, who won the 2010 tournament in the West Indies, take on 2012 winners the West Indies in Mumbai on March 16, followed by matches against South Africa (March 18 in Mumbai), the Group B winner (March 23 in New Delhi) and Sri Lanka (March 26 in New Delhi). After taking on England in their tournament opener, the West Indies will square off against Sri Lanka (March 20 in Bengaluru), South Africa (March 25 in Nagpur) and the Group B winner (March 27 in Nagpur). ICC cChairman Shashank Manohar 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.” ICC chief executive David Richardson said: “The ICC World Twenty20 is an event which puts the world’s best cricketers in the shortest format of the game against each other in a nation versus nation contest. “The Twenty20 format provides the perfect vehicle by which the ICC can further globalise the game, providing international exposure and opportunity to our top Associate and Affiliate members. The ICC World Twenty20 event structure is designed to provide highly competitive matches throughout, with eight evenly-matched sides fighting it out in the first round and the best two then getting in the mix with the top eight ranked teams in the Super 10 stage where the intensity and competition will be of the very highest level.” BCCI Secretary Mr Anurag Thakur said: “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.” 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 group B (Q1B) Super 10 Group 2: India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and winner 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) Read the original story at: Schedule announced for ICC World Twenty20 India 2016