The countdown for T20 World Cup has well and truly begun, with Australia hosting the tournament for the first ever time in 2020.
“In the women's T20 World Cup, India’s first match will be against Australia on February 21 at Sydney Olympic Park and it promises to be a fantastic event,” said Nick Hockley, CEO of T20 World Cup.
The men's World Cup will begin one year from today – on 18 October 2020. But while India v South Africa is scheduled for Perth and the Melbourne Cricket Ground will host India v England fixture, there is no possibility for either India v Pakistan or India v Australia matches in the group stages.
Mr Hockley explains, “Since Pakistan was ranked number 1 and India was number 2 in T20 rankings at the end of 2018, it was a mathematical impossibility to have them in the same group and take on each other at the group stage.”
"I know its a rivalry that the world loves to see but we will have to wait for semi-finals or finals of the T20 World Cup to watch them play against each other (as long as each team qualifies from their respective group)" he added.
And since Australia is placed in the same group as Pakistan, there won’t be an India v Australia clash in the group stages either.
This will make a victory in the first fixture between Australia and Pakistan even more crucial in the T20 Cricket World Cup, because the winner will have a better chance of placement in semi-final and eventually final match.
But all the fixtures are yet to be decided, and are incumbent on the qualifiers which are currently taking place in the United Arab Emirates.
"14 teams are now participating in this global qualifier and six teams will proceed to take part in the World Cup in Australia next year. This will take around five weeks, after which we'll have a clear idea of the groups and fixtures," he said.
Speaking about the enthusiasm that the South Asian fans bring to the game of cricket, Mr Hockley said, "I distinctly remember the India v South Africa match at the MCG during the 2015 World Cup. The stadium turned into a sea of blue with Indian fans."
"It's the noise, the colour, and the passion that South Asian fans bring to these games - parents, grand parents, great grand-parents and children come together."
"It's a great moment for families to celebrate their heritage and culture in these games," said Mr Hockley, adding that similar events to showcase South Asian culture, dance and food are being planned at all host cities.
But well before the men's T20 World Cup, the women's even kicks off in February 2020, with a chance to set a record for attendance in women's games.
"The final of the women's World Cup will be played at the MCG on International Women's Day - March 8, and that will be a fantastic opportunity for fans to turn out in large numbers and set a world record for attendance at a women's sporting match," said Mr Hockley.
