Sri Lanka have to qualify for 2022 T20 WC – play Namibia in opening match

Saturday, 22 January 2022 01:39 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

(ICC): Sri Lanka, the 2014 champions, will play the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 against Namibia at Kardinia Park, Geelong on 16 October in a first-round game.

They’ll be joined by two qualifiers in Group A. Two-time champions West Indies will also start in the First Round, joined in Group B by Scotland and two qualifiers in Hobart.

Excitement is building for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, following the announcement of the fixtures for the 16 October-13 November event. The world's best cricketers from 16 international teams will clash in 45 matches as the pinnacle global event in men’s T20 cricket comes to Australia for the first time.

In the Super 12, hosts Australia are in Group 1 with world number one England, New Zealand, Afghanistan plus the winner of Group A and the runner-up in Group B from the First Round. Group 2 features India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, plus the winner of Group B and runner-up in Group A from the First Round.

Hosts and defending champions, Australia will play New Zealand in the opening match of the Super 12 at the SCG on 22 October in a re-match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Final. The Black Caps will also face England at The Gabba on 1 November in a re-match of their epic semi-final encounter at the 2021 event.

Two of world cricket’s biggest rivals will go head-to-head at the MCG, with India taking on Pakistan on 23 October. It will be the first World Cup clash between the two nations at the MCG and comes before two more fierce rivals, Australia and England, meet at the same venue on 28 October.

The state-of-the-art Perth Stadium will host a huge Sunday double-header on 30 October with South Africa taking on India in the evening match. Earlier in the day, Pakistan will be in action against the runners-up from Group A.

The semi-finals will be played at the SCG and Adelaide Oval on 9 and 10 November, respectively. It will be the first time the Adelaide Oval will host a World Cup semi-final.

The MCG will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 Final, which will be contested under lights on 13 November.

Australia was originally scheduled to host the event in 2020, before it was postponed due to COVID-19 and re-scheduled for 16 October-13 November 2022. Matches will be played in Adelaide (Adelaide Oval), Brisbane (The Gabba), Geelong (Kardinia Park), Hobart (Bellerive Oval), Melbourne (MCG), Perth (Perth Stadium), and Sydney (SCG).

It’s the first time Australia will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after a record-breaking women's event, which was held in February-March 2020. The final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was won by Australia over India in front of 86,174 spectators, a record crowd for women's sport in Australia and the second-highest crowd ever recorded for a women's sporting event globally.

Australia will enter the eighth edition of the men’s event as defending champions after winning their maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title in 2021, defeating New Zealand in the final played at Dubai International Stadium.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will feature 16 international teams playing 45 matches with the final to be played on 13 November at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

 

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