Everything that you need to know about T20 World Cup

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup returns this month after five years.

The much-awaited event will officially commence on Sunday and the series of matches will bring 16 teams together. The T20 World Cup will kick off on October 17 and conclude on November 14. The 45 matches of T20 will be played in two international venues, Oman and Dubai.

According to the format of the game, the ICC’s Men T20 World Cup will take place in three rounds.

In Round 1, two groups of four teams will participate in a round-robin. The top two teams from each group will 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 will enter Group 1 of the Super 12, with the top seed from Group B and the second seed from Group A going into Group 2.

Round 2 — the Super 12 stage — will see 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.

ICC reveals about setting reserve days. The cricket council has set reserved days for both semi-finals and the final. Although, 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.

According to the rules set, 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.

The T20 World Cup schedule suggests that the event will kick off on October 17 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 will play at the same venue.

Group A begins the following day in Abu Dhabi, with Ireland and the Netherlands playing the afternoon match, and Sri Lanka and Namibia the evening encounter.

Round 1 will finish on October 22 after Group A Namibia-Ireland and Sri Lanka-Netherlands double-header at Sharjah.

Group B’s final matches will take place in a double-header at Oman Cricket Academy on October 21.

The top two teams from each group will move further to the Super 12 stage.

Super 12 stage will commence from October 23 just a day after Round 1 concludes, with Group 1 sides Australia and South Africa playing in Abu Dhabi.

Group 2 will begin the following day with a clash between India and Pakistan in Dubai.

Super 12 stage will conclude on November 8 with India playing the final match of the phase at Dubai against their group’s Round 1 Group A qualifier.

Semi-finals are scheduled to be played on November 10 and 11. Meanwhile, the final of the World Cup series will be played on November 14 at Dubai International Stadium.

T20 World Cup groups are as follows:

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 reveals what the winning team will get by stating that all 16 competing teams will receive part of the total $S5.6 million allocated as prize money for the tournament.

The winners will get $1.6 million, while the runners up will be awarded $800,000.

Both losing semi-finalists will receive $400,000.

The eight teams knocked out at the end of the Super 12 stage will get $70,000 each. Each match a team wins in the Super 12 stage will get  $40,000.

The four teams knocked out at the end of Round 1 will get $40,000. Each match a team wins in the first round will see them earn $40,000.

The ICC T20 World Cup venues are as follows:

Dubai International Stadium

The record-holder for the most men’s T20Is hosted, Dubai International Cricket Stadium has witnessed 62 matches in the format.

It will host 13 matches, including one semi-final and the final of this year’s T20 World Cup.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium

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 venue will host 11 matches.

Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

The second most used venue in men’s T20I history, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium has hosted 48 matches in the format.

It will host 15 matches including one semi-final.

Oman Cricket Academy Ground

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.

The list of competing teams is as follows:

Sri Lanka

Group: A, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 10th

Squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Kusal Janith Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando.

Ireland

Group: A, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 12th

Squad: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Kevin O’Brien, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

Reserve players: Shane Getkate, Graham Kennedy, Barry McCarthy

Netherlands

Group: A, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 17th

Squad: Pieter Seelaar (captain), Colin Ackermann, Philippe Boissevain, Ben Cooper, Bas de Leede, Scott Edwards, Brandon Glover, Fred Klaassen, Stephan Myburgh, Max O’Dowd, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Logan van Beek, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren.

Namibia

Group: A, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 19th

Squad: Gerhard Erasmus (captain), Stephen Baard, Karl Birkenstock. Michau du Preez, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green, Nicol Lofie-Eaton, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo, JJ Smit, Ruben Trumpelmann, Michael van Lingen, David Wiese, Craig Williams, Picky Ya France

Reserve players: Mauritius Ngupita

Bangladesh

Group: B, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 6th

Squad: Mahmud Ullah (captain), Naim Sheikh, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Kumer Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shaif Uddin, Shamim Hossain, Rubel Hossain.

Reserve players: Animul Islam Biplob

Scotland

Group: B, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 14th

Squad (provisional): Kyle Coetzer (captain), Richard Berrington, Dylan Budge, Matthew Cross (wk), Josh Davey, Ally Evans, Chris Greaves, Michael Leask, Calum Macleod, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Hamza Tahir, Craig Wallace, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal.

Papua New Guinea

Group: B, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 15th

Squad: Assad Vala (captain), Charles Amini, Lega Siaka, Norman Vanua, Nosaina Pokana, Kipling Doriga, Tony Ura, Hiri Hiri, Gaudi Toka, Sese Bau, Damien Ravu, Kabua Vagi-Morea, Simon Atai, Jason Kila, Chad Soper, Jack Gardner.

Oman

Group: B, Round 1

ICC T20I ranking: 18th

Squad: Zeeshan Maqsood (captain), Aqib Ilyas, Jatinder Singh, Khawar Ali, Mohammad Nadeem, Ayaan Khan, Suraj Kumar, Sandeep Goud, Nester Dhamba, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan, Naseem Khushi, Sufyan Mehmood, Fayyaz Butt, Khurram Khan.

England

Group: 1, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 1st

Squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Reserve players: Liam Dawson, James Vince, Reece Topley

South Africa

Group: 1, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 5th

Squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Keshav Maharaj, Quinton de Kock (wk), Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, W Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen.

Reserve players: George Linde, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lizaad Williams

Australia

Group: 1, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 7th

Squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Reserve players: Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams

West Indies

Group: 1, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 9th

Squad: Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (Vice Captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh jr.

Reserve players: Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein

India

Group: 2, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 2nd

Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami.

Reserve players: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur

Pakistan

Group: 2, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 3rd

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik

Reserve players: Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir

New Zealand

Group: 2, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 4th

Squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee

Reserve player: Adam Milne

Afghanistan

Group: 2, Super 12

ICC T20I ranking: 8th

Squad: Mohammad Nabi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Shahzad, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Gulbadin Naib, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Farid Ahmed Malik, Naveen ul Haq

Reserve players: Sharafuddin Ashraf, Samiullah Shinwari, Dawlat Zadran, Fazal Haq Farooqi