Rohit Sharma-led India are set to open their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign with a blockbuster match against arch-rivals Pakistan at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on 23 October. The groups as well as the full schedule were announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday.
India have been grouped with former champions Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh in the Super 12 Group 2 while two teams from the preliminary group will join the four teams in the Super 12.
India succumbed to a 10-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the T20 World Cup group stage last year, with Mohammad Rizwan (79*) and Babar Azam (68*) doing all the damage with the bat.
Meanwhile, defending champions Australia will kickstart their title defence against Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand on 22 October in Sydney, which is a rematch of the final of the 2021 edition.
Australia, New Zealand, England and Afghanistan make up the Super 12 Group 1, and two teams from the preliminary stage will join them.
The likes of Sri Lanka and West Indies, will however, have to qualify to the Super 12s through the preliminary stage.
Both Sri Lanka and West Indies suffered exits from the Super 12 stage last year in the UAE.
Sri Lanka and Namibia have been drawn in Group A, with two other qualifiers joining them, while West Indies have been drawn with Scotland in Group B. Much like Group A, the two teams will be joined by a couple of qualifiers.
The top two teams from Group A and B will advance to the Super 12s.
Here’s a look at the groups, venues, and full schedule for the multi-nation tournament.
Group A: Sri Lanka, Namibia, Qualifier 2, Qualifier 3
Group B: West Indies, Scotland, Qualifier 1, Qualifier 4
Super 12s Group 1: Australia, England, New Zealand, Afghanistan, A1, B2
Super 12s Group 2: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, B1, A2
Venues:
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Perth Stadium, Perth
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
The Gabba, Brisbane
Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Round 1 qualifiers
16 October: Sri Lanka vs Namibia – 9:30am – Kardinia Park, Geelong
16 October– Q2 vs Q3 – 1:30pm – Kardinia Park, Geelong
17 October: West Indies vs Scotland – 9:30am – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
17 October: Q1 vs Q4 – 1:30pm – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
18 October: Namibia vs Q3 – 9:30am – Kardinia Park, Geelong
18 October : Sri Lanka vs Q2 – 1:30pm – Kardinia Park, Geelong
19 October: Scotland vs Q4 – 9:30am – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
19 October: West Indies vs Q1 -1:30pm – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
20 October: Sri Lanka vs Q3 – 9:30am – Kardinia Park, Geelong
20 October: Namibia vs Q2 – 1:30 -pm – Kardinia Park, Geelong
21 October: West Indies vs Q4 – 9:30am – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
21 October: Scotland vs Q1 – 1:30pm – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Super 12
Group 1 fixtures
22 October: Australia vs New Zealand: 12:30pm – SCG, Sydney
22 October: England vs Afghanistan – 4:30pm – Perth Stadium
23 October: A1 vs B2 – 9:30am – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
25 October: Australia vs A1 – 4:30pm – Perth Stadium
26 October: England vs B2 – 9:30am – MCG, Melbourne
26 October: New Zealand vs Afghanistan – 1:30pm – MCG, Melbourne
28 October: Afghanistan vs B2 – 9:30am – MCG, Melbourne
28 October: England vs Australia – 1:30pm – MCG, Melbourne
29 October: New Zealand vs A1 – 1:30pm – SCG, Sydney
31 October: Australia vs B2 – 1:30pm – The Gabba, Brisbane
1 November: Afghanistan vs A1 – 9:30am – The Gabba, Brisbane
1 November: England vs New Zealand- 1:30pm – The Gabba, Brisbane
4 November: New Zealand vs B2 – 9:30am – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
4 November: Australia vs Afghanistan – 1:30pm – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
5 November: England vs A1 – 1:30pm – SCG, Sydney
Group 2 fixtures
23 October: India vs Pakistan – 1:30pm – MCG, Melbourne
24 October: Bangladesh vs A2 – 9:30am – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
24 October: South Africa vs B1 – 1:30pm – Bellerive Oval, Hobart
27 October: South Africa vs Bangladesh – 8:30am – SCG, Sydney
27 October: India vs A2 – 12:30pm – SCG, Sydney
27 October: Pakistan vs B1 – 4:30pm – Perth Stadium, Perth
30 October: Bangladesh vs B1 – 8:30am – The Gabba, Brisbane
30 October: Pakistan vs A2 – 12:30pm – Perth Stadium, Perth
30 October: India vs South Africa – 4:30pm – Perth Stadium, Perth
2 November: B1 vs A2 – 9:30am – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
2 November: India vs Bangladesh – 1:30pm – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3 November: Pakistan vs South Africa – 1:30pm – SCG, Sydney
6 November: South Africa vs A2 – 5:30am – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
6 November: Pakistan vs Bangladesh – 9:30am – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
6 November: India vs B1 – 1:30pm – MCG, Melbourne
Knockout stage
9 November: Semi-final 1 – 1:30pm – SCG, Sydney
10 November: Semi-final 2 – 1:30pm – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
13 November: Final – 1:30pm – MCG, Melbourne