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ICC World T20 2010: India grouped with South Africa

Dubai: Dethroned Twenty20 World champion India has been placed alongside South Africa and a qualifier team in Group ‘C’ for next year’s third edition of the tournament to be played in the West Indies.

Defending champion Pakistan is in Group ‘A’ where it will have to ward off the challenges from Bangladesh and Australia to advance in the event starting on April 30, according to the ICC World Twenty20 match schedule announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday.

Runner-up Sri Lanka constitutes Group ‘C’ with New Zealand and Zimbabwe while the host West Indies, England and a second qualifying team will comprise Group ‘D’.

The West Indies will play the second qualifying team in the opening match of the event, which is being staged next year immediately after its 2009 England edition to prevent its clash with the 2011 ODI World Cup in the sub-continent.

India, which was knocked out in the Super Eight stage of the second edition, is lined up to play the first qualifiers slated for May 1, which will be the second day of the 17-day tournament.

The tournament will feature as many as 27 matches with the semifinals being played on May 13 and 14 and the final slated for May 16.

Women’s event

For the simultaneously played women’s event, teams have been divided into two groups — ‘A’ and ‘B’.

Semifinalist India is in Group ‘B’ with New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan while England, Australia, the West Indies and South Africa make Group ‘A’.

The women’s tournament, which will feature 15 matches including the semifinals and the final, start on May 5 with the West Indies eves taking on their South African counterparts.

The women’s semifinals and final will be played on the same days as that of the men’s.

Low-priced tickets

The ICC also announced low-priced tickets for the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup in a bid to host sold out matches in the Caribbean next year.

“Tickets have been priced to ensure the venues are as full as possible for all 42 matches,” said an ICC statement.

In another attraction for fans, the ICC has also decided to provide free entry to under-16s for all matches in Guyana and all first round matches in St. Lucia. The highest-priced ticket for all men’s first round and Super Eights matches is just $(U.S) 15 while all women’s group games will be free entry.

For either of the two semifinal men’s and women’s double-headers in St. Lucia on May 13 and 14, ticket range starts from just $10 for adults and $6 for under-16s. The top ticket-price for the final day is only $40. Tickets are set to go on sale in the Caricom market on November 1, 2009, with sales to the rest of the world commencing two weeks later, on November 15.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said the game’s world governing body will make sure that third edition of the tournament is as successful as the first two. — PTI

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