- ICC announces full schedule for Women’s and Men’s T20 World Cup 2020, both to be held in Australia.
- Women’s T20 WC to take place from 21 February to 8 March, Men’s edition to be held from 18 October to 15 November.
- India to face reigning champions Australia in Women’s T20 WC opener, drawn in Group A which will also feature New Zealand, Sri Lanka and a qualifier.
- Indian men’s team drawn alongside England, South Africa, Afghanistan and a qualifier in Pool B of the Super 12 stage for the Men’s T20 WC.
The women’s and men’s T20 World Cups will be held as standalone events in the same year for the first time, after the International Cricket Council announced the full schedule for the next edition of the showpiece event for the shortest format, to be held in Australia in 2020.
World governing body ICC revealed the format, fixtures and venues for both the tournaments at a ceremony in Sydney on Tuesday, 29 January.
No India vs Pakistan This Time
It’s the hottest selling property at any ICC event, and the body has even revealed the arch-rivals are kept in the same bracket on purpose to aid ticket sales, but there will be no India vs Pakistan clash this time – at least not before the knockout rounds.
On account of their No. 1 and No. 2 positions in the ICC T20I rankings, Pakistan and India, respectively have been paired on opposite sides of the draw for the Super 12 stage of the men’s event, meaning their paths cannot collide before the semi-finals.
The same holds true for the women’s edition, where India have been drawn in Group A while Pakistan find themselves in Group B.
An Aussie Summer, Twice Over
The standalone tournaments, timed more than seven months apart from each other (plausibly to factor in logistics and ticket sales), will ensure a testing out for organisers on both ends of the Australian cricket season.
The women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled between 21 February and 8 March, will mark the end of the 2019/20 summer Down Under, while the men’s competition, slated to be held between 18 October and 15 November, will more or less kick-start the succeeding season.
Formats Explained
Women
The seventh edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will follow a similar format to the one used for the 2018 event, with 10 participating teams divided into two groups for the opening stage.
The eight top-ranked teams based on finishing positions from the World T20 2018 have automatically qualified, while two remaining berths will be decided at a qualifying tournament to be staged this year.
The top two sides from both groups proceed to the semi-finals, from where the tournament becomes a straight knockout.
Men
The men’s event has a more complicated run-in. The eight highest-ranked teams have secured a direct berth in the Super 12 stage, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, ranked ninth and tenth respectively, find themselves in the preceding group stage.
Sri Lanka will be joined by three qualifiers in Group A, and Bangladesh by three others in Group B, with two of the four teams from either group going through to the Super 12s.
In the Super 12 phase, each team faces all five nations drawn with it once, with the top two moving ahead to the semi-finals.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Schedule
A total of 16 men’s teams will play 45 matches from 18 October – 15 November 2020 for the T20 World Cup.
First Round Qualifiers
Group A: Sri Lanka, QA2, QA3, QA4
Group B: Bangladesh, QB2, QB3, QB4
Super 12 Men’s Pools
Group 1: Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Windies, A1, B2
Group 2: India, England, South Africa, Afghanistan, B1, A2
Super 12s
24 October: Australia v Pakistan, SCG
24 October: India v South Africa, Perth Stadium
25 October: New Zealand v Windies, MCG
25 October: QA1 v QB2, Bellerive Oval
26 October: Afghanistan v QA2, Perth Stadium
26 October: England v QB1, Perth Stadium
27 October: New Zealand v QB2, Bellerive Oval
28 October: Afghanistan v QB1, Perth Stadium
28 October: Australia v Windies, Perth Stadium
29 October: India v QA2, MCG
29 October: Pakistan v QA1, SCG
30 October: England v South Africa, SCG
30 October: Windies v QB2, Perth Stadium
31 October: Pakistan v New Zealand, The Gabba
31 October: Australia v QA1, The Gabba
1 November: India v England, MCG
1 November: South Africa v Afghanistan, Adelaide Oval
2 November: QA2 v QB1, SCG
2 November: New Zealand v QA1, The Gabba
3 November: Pakistan v Windies, Adelaide Oval
3 November: Australia v QB2, Adelaide Oval
4 November: England v Afghanistan, The Gabba
5 November: South Africa v QA2, Adelaide Oval
5 November: India v QB1, Adelaide Oval
6 November: Pakistan v QB2, MCG
6 November: Australia v New Zealand, MCG
7 November: Windies v QA1, MCG
7 November: England v QA2, Adelaide Oval
8 November: South Africa v QB1, SCG
8 November: India v Afghanistan, SCG
Semi-Finals
- 11 November: SCG
- 12 November: Adelaide Oval
Final
- 15 November: MCG
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Schedule
The 10 top women’s teams will contest 23 matches, across eight venues in six host cities, from 21 February – 8 March 2020.
Women’s Pools
Group A: Australia, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Qualifier 1
Group B: England, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan and Qualifier 2
Group Stage
- 21 February: Australia v India, Sydney Showground
- 22 February: West Indies v Q2, WACA
- 22 February: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, WACA
- 23 February: England v South Africa, WACA
- 24 February: Australia v Sri Lanka, WACA
- 24 February: India v Q1, WACA
- 26 February: England v Q2, Manuka Oval
- 26 February: West Indies v Pakistan, Manuka Oval
- 27 February: Australia v Q1, Manuka Oval
- 27 February: India v New Zealand, Junction Oval
- 28 February: South Africa v Q2 at Manuka Oval
- 28 February: England v Pakistan at Manuka Oval
- 29 February: New Zealand v Q1 at Junction Oval
- 29 February: India v Sri Lanka at Junction Oval
- 1 March: South Africa v Pakistan at Sydney Showground
- 1 March: England v West Indies at Sydney Showground
- 2 March: Sri Lanka v Q1 at Junction Oval
- 2 March: Australia v New Zealand at Junction Oval
- 3 March: Pakistan v Q2 at Sydney Showground
- 3 March: West Indies v South Africa at Sydney Showground
Semi-Finals
- 5 March: SCG
- 5 March: SCG
Finals
- 8 March: MCG
(Schedule as announced by ICC)
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