Five years on from the last edition, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup returns this month as 16 teams duke it out for supremacy in the game’s shortest format.
Commencing on 17 October at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground, the showpiece event is scheduled to finish on 14 November in Dubai when the tournament’s two best teams meet in a decider that has plenty to live up to after 2016’s epic conclusion.
The West Indies will be out to become the first team to ever defend their status as Men’s T20 World Cup champions this time around having already become the first to win the trophy twice.
The tournament format
This year’s Men’s T20 World Cup takes place in three stages.
Round 1 sees two groups of four teams participating in a round-robin. The top two teams from each group progress to the Super 12 stage. Each of the Round 1 Groups features three teams from the 2019 Qualifier and one of the two automatic qualifiers - Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The top seed from Group A and the second seed from Group B enter Group 1 of the Super 12s, with the top seed from Group B and the second seed from Group A going into Group 2.
The Super 12 stage sees two groups of six play a round-robin with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knock-out stage, consisting of two semi-finals and a final.
The two Super 12 groups each feature four of the automatic qualifiers – tournament hosts India and the top seven teams on the MRF Tyres ICC rankings at the cut-off date – and two Round 1 qualifiers.
The points system:
In both group stages the following points system will apply:
Win - Two points
Tie, no result or abandoned: One point
Loss or forfeit: Zero points
Are there reserve days?
Yes, for both semi-finals and the final. No other matches shall have a reserve day allocated. For both the semi-finals and final, every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place. Only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match (at least 5 overs per side) cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.
If a match starts on the scheduled day and overs are reduced following an interruption but no further play is possible, the match will resume on the reserve day at the point where the last ball was played.
Key dates
Tournament commences: 17 October
The event kicks off with a Round 1, Group B match between co-hosts Oman and Papua New Guinea at Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Al Amerat. Later that day, Group B opponents Bangladesh and Scotland begin their campaign against one another at the same venue.
Group A begins the following day in Abu Dhabi, with Ireland and Netherlands playing the afternoon match, and Sri Lanka and Namibia the evening encounter.
Round 1 finishes: 22 October
Round 1 concludes after a Group A Namibia-Ireland and Sri Lanka-Netherlands double-header at Sharjah.
Group B’s final matches take place in a double-header at Oman Cricket Academy on 21 October.
The top two teams from each group progress to the Super 12 stage.
Super 12 stage commences: 23 October
The Super 12 stage of the tournament kicks off just a day after Round 1 concludes, with Group 1 sides Australia and South Africa meeting in Abu Dhabi.
Group 2 begins the following day with a mouth-watering clash between India and Pakistan in Dubai
Super 12 stage concludes: 8 November
The Super 12 stage wraps up on 8 November with India playing the final match of the phase at Dubai against their group’s Round 1 Group A qualifier.
Semi-finals: 10 November and 11 November
The top two teams from each Super 12 Group progress to the semi-finals, scheduled to be played at Abu Dhabi and Dubai on 10 and 11 November respectively.
Final: 14 November
The tournament reaches its conclusion on 14 November at Dubai International Stadium.
Groups:
Round 1-
Group A
Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Namibia
Group B
Bangladesh, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Oman
Super 12
Group 1
England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, top seed Group A, second seed Group B
Group 2
India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, second seed Group A, top seed Group B.
ICC Team Fixtures:
Sri Lanka
Group: A, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 10th
Fixtures
18 Oct - v NAM
20 Oct - v IRE
22 Oct - v NED
Ireland
Group: A, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 12th
Fixtures
18 Oct – v NED
20 Oct – v SL
22 Oct – v NAM
Netherlands
Group: A, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 17th
Fixtures
18 Oct – v IRE
20 Oct – v NAM
22 Oct – v SL
Namibia
Group: A, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 19th
Fixtures
18 Oct – v SL
20 Oct – v NED
22 Oct – v IRE
Bangladesh
Group: B, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 6th
Fixtures
17 Oct – v SCO
19 Oct – v OMA
21 Oct – v PNG
Scotland
Group: B, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 14th
Fixtures
17 Oct - v BAN
19 Oct - v PNG
21 Oct - v OMA
Papua New Guinea
Group: B, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 15th
Fixtures
17 Oct – v OMA
19 Oct – v SCO
21 Oct – v BAN
Oman
Group: B, Round 1
ICC T20I ranking: 18th
Fixtures
17 Oct v PNG
19 Oct v BAN
21 Oct v SCO
England
Group: 1, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 1st
Fixtures
23 Oct – v WI
27 Oct – v B2
30 Oct – v AUS
1 Nov – v A1
6 Nov – v SA
Australia
Group: 1, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 7th
Fixtures
23 Oct – v SA
28 Oct – v A1
30 Oct – v ENG
4 Nov – v B2
6 Nov – v WI
South Africa
Group: 1, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 5th
Fixtures
23 Oct – v AUS
26 Oct – v WI
30 Oct – v A1
2 Nov – v B2
6 Nov – v ENG
West Indies
Group: 1, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 9th
Fixtures
23 Oct – v ENG
26 Oct – v SA
29 Oct – v B2
4 Nov – v A1
6 Nov – v AUS
India
Group: 2, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 2nd
Fixtures
24 Oct – v PAK
31 Oct – v NZ
3 Nov – v AFG
5 Nov – v B1
8 Nov – v A2
Pakistan
Group: 2, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 3rd
Fixtures
24 Oct – v IND
26 Oct – v NZ
29 Oct – v AFG
2 Nov – v A2
7 Nov – v B1
New Zealand
Group: 2, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 4th
Fixtures
26 Oct – v PAK
31 Oct – v IND
3 Nov – v B1
5 Nov – v A2
7 Nov – v AFG
Afghanistan
Group: 2, Super 12
ICC T20I ranking: 8th
Fixtures
25 Oct – v B1
29 Oct – v PAK
31 Oct – v A2
3 Nov – v IND
7 Nov – v NZ
VENUES:
Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, UAE-
The record-holder for the most men’s T20Is hosted, Dubai International Cricket Stadium has witnessed 62 matches in the format.
The ground hosted the 2018 Asia Cup Final between Bangladesh and India, and the Final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019.
It will host 13 matches, including one semi-final and the Final of this year’s T20 World Cup.
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, UAE-
First used for international cricket in 1984, Sharjah has hosted an incredible 263 international men’s matches – only the Sydney Cricket Ground (277) and Melbourne Cricket Ground (275) have hosted more games. The 240 men’s ODIs it has hosted is 91 more than the next most used venue, the SCG (159).
The T20 World Cup will be another chapter added to the famous ground’s story. The venue will host 11 matches.
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE-
The second most used venue in men’s T20I history, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium has hosted 48 matches in the format.
Alongside the ICC Academy and Dubai International Stadium, it hosted the qualifying tournament in 2019.
It will host 15 matches including one semi-final.
Oman Cricket Academy Ground, Al Amerat, Oman-
Opened in 2012 and endowed by the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Oman Cricket Academy Ground is the jewel in the crown of Omani Cricket.
Holding official ICC Test accreditation, the ground has so far hosted 30 T20Is, as well as 15 ODIs.
It will host six T20 World Cup matches.
(with inputs from ICC website)
