Cricket fans around the globe are gearing up for one of the most anticipated events in the sporting calendar – the T20 Men's World Cup 2024. This year promises to be an electrifying tournament filled with thrilling matches, intense rivalries, and extraordinary performances. Here's everything you need to know about the T20 Men's World Cup 2024, including the full schedule.
A Brief Overview
The T20 Men's World Cup is a biennial international championship organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The 2024 edition marks the ninth T20 World Cup, and it will be hosted by the West Indies and the USA, making it the first time the tournament will be held in the Americas. The competition will feature the best teams from around the world, competing for the coveted trophy and the glory of being crowned world champions.
Participating Teams
A total of 20 teams will participate in the T20 Men's World Cup 2024. The tournament will feature the top 12 teams from the ICC T20I rankings and 8 teams that have qualified through regional qualifiers. The teams are:
Afghanistan
Australia
Bangladesh
England
India
New Zealand
Pakistan
South Africa
Sri Lanka
West Indies
USA (co-hosts)
Netherlands
Ireland
Scotland
Namibia
UAE
Zimbabwe
Nepal
Oman
Papua New Guinea
Tournament Format
The T20 Men's World Cup 2024 will follow a format similar to previous editions:
First Round: The 8 lowest-ranked teams will play in a round-robin format, with the top 4 advancing to the Super 12 stage.
Super 12: The 4 advancing teams from the first round will join the top 12 teams in the rankings. These 16 teams will be divided into two groups of 8, playing in a round-robin format. The top 4 teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage.
Knockout Stage: This includes the semi-finals and the final. The top 2 teams from each group in the Super 12 stage will compete in the semi-finals, with the winners moving on to the grand finale.
Full Schedule
The T20 Men's World Cup 2024 is scheduled to take place from October 18 to November 15, 2024. Here is the detailed schedule:
First Round
October 18: Match 1 - USA vs. Namibia (Florida)
October 19: Match 2 - Nepal vs. PNG (Florida)
October 20: Match 3 - UAE vs. Oman (Florida)
October 21: Match 4 - Zimbabwe vs. Ireland (Florida)
October 22: Match 5 - USA vs. Nepal (Texas)
October 23: Match 6 - Namibia vs. PNG (Texas)
October 24: Match 7 - UAE vs. Ireland (Texas)
October 25: Match 8 - Oman vs. Zimbabwe (Texas)
October 26: Match 9 - USA vs. PNG (New York)
October 27: Match 10 - Namibia vs. Nepal (New York)
October 28: Match 11 - UAE vs. Zimbabwe (New York)
October 29: Match 12 - Ireland vs. Oman (New York)
Super 12
October 30: Match 1 - India vs. South Africa (Guyana)
October 31: Match 2 - England vs. Bangladesh (Guyana)
November 1: Match 3 - Pakistan vs. Australia (Barbados)
November 2: Match 4 - New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka (Barbados)
November 3: Match 5 - West Indies vs. Afghanistan (Barbados)
November 4: Match 6 - Super 12 Qualifier A1 vs. Super 12 Qualifier B1 (Antigua)
November 5: Match 7 - Super 12 Qualifier A2 vs. Super 12 Qualifier B2 (Antigua)
November 6: Match 8 - India vs. Bangladesh (St. Lucia)
November 7: Match 9 - England vs. South Africa (St. Lucia)
November 8: Match 10 - Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka (St. Kitts)
November 9: Match 11 - Australia vs. New Zealand (St. Kitts)
November 10: Match 12 - West Indies vs. Super 12 Qualifier A1 (St. Kitts)
November 11: Match 13 - Afghanistan vs. Super 12 Qualifier B1 (Jamaica)
November 12: Match 14 - Super 12 Qualifier A2 vs. Super 12 Qualifier B2 (Jamaica)
Knockout Stage
November 13: Semi-final 1 (Trinidad)
November 14: Semi-final 2 (Trinidad)
November 15: Final (Trinidad)
Key Players to Watch
As with every T20 World Cup, there will be a host of star players looking to make their mark. Some of the key players for the Indian cricket team to watch out for include:
Virat Kohli (India): The Indian captain is one of the most prolific run-scorers in T20 cricket.
Babar Azam (Pakistan): Known for his elegant batting style, Babar will be crucial to Pakistan's success.
David Warner (Australia): A destructive opener who can change the game in a matter of overs.
Jofra Archer (England): His pace and precision make him a formidable bowler in the shortest format.
Kieron Pollard (West Indies): The West Indian captain is a seasoned T20 campaigner with immense hitting power.