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Tuesday March 19, 2024

T20 World Cup set to begin on Sunday

The T20 World Cup will begin with a double-header at the 3,000-seat venue in Oman

By AFP & Web Desk
October 17, 2021
A representational image. — ICC
A representational image. — ICC

MUSCAT: In the humble surroundings of Al Amerat with Oman and Papua New Guinea determined not to be reduced to the role of warm-up acts at the global showpiece, the two countries will get the Twenty 20 World Cup underway on Sunday.

Originally scheduled to take place in Australia and then India, before being chased out of both by COVID-19, the seventh edition of the event begins with a double-header at the 3,000-seat venue outside Muscat.

Later Sunday, Bangladesh face Scotland before Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands and 2010 champions Sri Lanka join the fray on Monday.

The eight teams in the first round of qualifying are chasing four places in the Super 12 round-robin stage.

England, Australia, South Africa, defending champions West Indies, India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Afghanistan will be waiting with all matches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

The top four will then progress to the semi-finals before the final in Dubai on November 14.

There is plenty at stake for the teams having to qualify.

A place in the next round guarantees a spot in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

There is also a financial incentive. Teams exiting at the first hurdle take home a modest $40,000 (34,500 euros) with the same amount awarded for each victory.

The eventual champions pocket a $1.6 million winner's cheque.

Oman are playing in their second T20 World Cup having shocked Ireland at the 2016 tournament.

Their team is made up almost exclusively of semi-professional South Asian expatriates who combine cricket with full-time work. Many train at 5:30 in the morning.

Papua New Guinea are making their T20 World Cup debut.

They have already acclimatised to conditions in the Gulf having been in Oman for a month.

"It is really a proud moment for me and the boys," said PNG skipper Assad Vala.

Bangladesh have just one victory at the tournament since 2007 but with a world ranking of six, will be heavily fancied to make the second round.

They go into the tournament with home series wins over Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe under their belts.

England narrow favourites?

The Scots have fallen at the first hurdle in their three previous T20 World Cup appearances, in 2007, 2009 and 2016.

They claimed their first and only win at the tournament five years ago — an eight-wicket triumph in a rain-affected match against lowly Hong Kong.

Once the qualifying is completed, many see Eoin Morgan's England as narrow favourites to become double world champions.

The top nations will join the event — played in stadiums 70% full — on October 23, with Australia and South Africa meeting in the opener of the Super 12 stage and England up against West Indies.

England beat New Zealand to win the 50-over title at Lord's in 2019.

Morgan's team will, however, be without Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, who played key roles in their one-day World Cup triumph.

England had to defend 19 runs in the last over of the 2016 T20 final in Kolkata but West Indies' Carlos Brathwaite famously hit Stokes for four straight sixes, giving the Caribbeans their second world T20 title.

Many of that winning team will be back, led by Kieron Pollard and old war horses Dwayne Bravo, 38, and 42-year-old Chris Gayle.

Asian giants India will begin their campaign against arch-rivals and fellow former champions Pakistan on October 24 with Virat Kohli looking to go out with a bang before stepping down as captain of the T20 side.

India eye repeat

Kohli will seek to repeat India's triumph in the inaugural tournament in 2007.

The Indian Premier League, which wrapped up on Friday, allowed many stars the chance to get used to the UAE pitches.

Glenn Maxwell, for example, scored 513 runs, including six half-centuries, in the world's most popular cricket league, a performance that will boost Australia's hopes of a maiden T20 title.

Trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand, led by Kane Williamson, will also be eyeing two successive world crowns after they won the inaugural Test championship, beating India in the final in June.

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.

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.