Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman will take on Namibia on June 2 in their first match of the ninth edition of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA from June 1 to 29. Oman are placed in Group B along with defending champions England and former winners Australia with Scotland and Namibia completing the group.
The fixtures for the 20-team tournament were revealed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday. Oman made it to their third Twenty20 World Cup after emerging champions of the Asia Qualifier tournament in Nepal. Oman had previously qualified for the continental showpiece in 2016 and 2021. Oman beat hosts Nepal, who also qualified for the World Cup, in the final of the Asia Qualifier in Kirtipur in November 2023. In their second match, Oman will meet Australia in Barbados on June 5.
Oman take on Scotland in Antigua on June 9 and clash with England on June 13 at the same venue in their concluding group match. The ICC T20 event will see a record 20 teams divided into four groups of five, competing across 55 games for the coveted title. Co-hosts the West Indies and the USA join Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Uganda in the expanded tournament.
The World Cup will get under way on June 1 at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas, Texas, when the USA take on Canada. A total of 16 games will be held in the United States -- the first time that a major international cricket tournament is held in the country. A new venue in New York will host the big clash between India and Pakistan on June 9 -- one of eight games to be held at the 34,000 stadium being built in Nassau County. Lauderhill in South Florida, the most established cricket venue in the USA, will host games featuring India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
England will begin their title defence on June 4 in Barbados against Scotland and 2022 finalists, Pakistan, will get under way when they play the USA in Dallas. England will go up against traditional rivals Australia in Barbados on June 8. Upon completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each of the four groups will move into the Super Eight stage. Teams seeded first and second in their groups in the first round will retain that seeding in the Super Eight, provided they qualify. Super Eight matches are scheduled to be played in popular Caribbean tourist destinations Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The two top teams from each group in the Super Eight will progress to the semifinals, which will be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27 respectively. The final will be held at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29. ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said: “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks an exciting expansion of our sport with more teams than ever before set to compete in this event. It’s going to be an incredible spectacle bringing together 20 international teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia, East-Asia Pacific and Europe.”
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