ICC unveils 2012 World Twenty20 schedule

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England celebrate their World Twenty20 title after beating Australia by seven wickets, England v Australia, ICC World Twenty20 final, Barbados, May 16, 2010 England are the defending champions in the World Twenty20 Ž© AFP Enlarge Related Links Series/Tournaments: ICC World Twenty20 Sites: Cricinfo ICC Site The 2012 World Twenty20 will be held between September 18 and October 12, 2012 in Sri Lanka the ICC have confirmed. Colombo, Pallekele and Hambantota will be venues for the men's tournament, while the women's group games will be played in Galle. The format will see four groups of three in a preliminary round. England, the defending champions, and India are in Group A and will be joined by one of the Associate or Affiliate teams that qualify. The other qualifying team will be in Group B with West Indies and Australia. Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zimbabwe make up Group C, and Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh are in Group D. The top two teams in each group will make it through the preliminary round, after which there will be a Super Eight stage, featuring two groups. The format is essentially the same as the last edition in 2010, though there are four fewer teams this time. The tournament will include two teams qualifying from the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012, which will be staged in the United Arab Emirates from March 13-14 2012. Hosts Sri Lanka will play the tournament's opening fixture against Zimbabwe in Hambantota. England begin their defence against a qualifying team on September 21 and will then play India in Colombo on September 23. The women's tournament has Australia, India and England in one group with a qualifying team, and New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka with the other qualifying team in the other. The men's and women's semi-finals and finals will be played on the same day, in Colombo. The semi-finals are on October 4 and October 5 with the finals on October 7. Tickets for the tournament are planned to go on sale to the public from March 1, 2012 and will be available via website and box-office sales in Sri Lanka. The ICC's chief executive Haroon Lorgat assured they would be reasonably priced. "We all know how passionate and loyal the Sri Lankan public is towards our sport and we will ensure the tickets are affordable so that they can enjoy the event," he said at the launch of the tournament in Colombo. "Following the success of the recent ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, I am confident that the hosts, Sri Lanka, will deliver a world-class event." Lorgat also said the tournament was another opportunity to promote women's cricket. "I am happy that the men's and women's semi-finals and finals will once again be played on the same days at the same venues. We remain committed to showcase women's cricket in this way, which is unique in the world of team sports."

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ICC unveils 2012 World Twenty20 schedule

Reigning champion England will start its title defence at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo exactly one year from today, on 21 September, against one of the two qualifiers for the tournament. Stuart Broad's side will complete its opening group commitments two days later against 2007 champion India at the same venue. Australia, chasing the one global trophy to have eluded them, will go head-to-head with the other qualifier in Colombo on 19 September, part of a double-header that also features India and a qualifier. Sri Lanka, which lost to England in the semi-final of last year's tournament in the West Indies, will open its campaign against Zimbabwe under lights in Hambantota on the first day of the tournament (18 September) before taking on South Africa at the same venue on 22 September. If Sri Lanka reaches the Super Eight, it will then go on to play in Pallekele before moving to Colombo if it qualifies for the knock-out stage. Pakistan, which won the 2009 tournament in England, has been grouped with New Zealand and Bangladesh, and will play its matches in Pallekele on 23 and 25 September respectively. Pallekele will also host the New Zealand-Bangladesh match on 21 September. If everything goes according to pre-tournament seedings then Pakistan and India will lock horns in a Super Eight match in Colombo on Sunday 30 September. The group stages of the women's tournament will take place in Galle where host Sri Lanka will take on one of the tournament qualifiers on 26 September, the first day of women's matches. On the same date, last year's losing finalist New Zealand will meet the West Indies. Australia's women will start their push for back-to-back trophies against India on 27 September, the same day which will see 2009 winner England launch its campaign against the other qualifier. A total of 42 matches, including 27 men's and 15 women's matches, will be played over 20 days at four venues - R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pallekele, Hambantota and Galle, with R Premadasa Stadium hosting the finals on Sunday 7 October. ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "The ICC World Twenty20 is now a marquee event in Twenty20 cricket where nations challenge each other for the most coveted title in the shortest format of the game. "The previous editions in South Africa, England and the West Indies have smartly established the ICC World Twenty20 as a major global event that is not only exciting and entertaining but embraces both men's and women's cricket. "Nothing beats nation-versus-nation contests and when these battles take place in the newest, sharpest and quickest form of the game then you can feel the excitement in fans. "We all know how passionate and loyal the Sri Lankan public is towards our Great Sport and we will ensure the tickets are affordable so that they can enjoy the event. "Following the legacies and success of the recent ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, I am confident that the hosts, Sri Lanka, will deliver a world class event. "I am happy that the men's and women's semi-finals and finals will once again be played on the same days at the same venues. Those match-days provide a great setting for both the men's and women's game and we remain committed to showcase women's cricket in this way, which is unique in the world of team sports." The tournament will include two teams qualifying from the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012, which will be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13-24 March 2012. Mr Lorgat added: "It will be exciting to see who eventually qualifies. In 2010, Afghanistan made history by qualifying to play on the global stage which was great reward for them and the development of the game." Source: ICC Media Release

[Sidhoni]

England again:fear: