The ICC T20 World Cup returns this Sunday with 16 teams battling it out for the coveted title last won by West Indies in 2016. Pakistan’s first HD sports channel A-Sports will telecast the event live.
Commencing on October 17, Sunday at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground, the showpiece event is scheduled to finish on November 14, in Dubai when the tournament’s two best teams meet in a decider that has plenty to live up to after 2016’s epic conclusion.
Pakistan and India will play their long-awaited match on October 24, Sunday.
In 2016, Carlos Brathwaite etched his name into cricketing folklore in 2016 when he hit four consecutive sixes in the last over of the Final to power West Indies to their second Men’s T20 World Cup trophy.
The West Indies will be out to become the first team to ever defend their status as Men’s T20 World Cup champions this time around having already become the first to win the trophy twice.
They won’t have an easy time doing that however with 15 high-quality opponents ready to make the trophy theirs.
Here’s everything you need to know about the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.
Who is playing in the ICC T20 World Cup?
There will be 16 teams playing in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
- India
- Pakistan
- Australia
- England
- South Africa
- New Zealand
- West Indies
- Afghanistan
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- Netherlands
- Papua New Guinea
- Ireland
- Namibia
- Scotland
- Oman
T20 World Cup draw
The groups for this year’s T20 World Cup are listed below. The first matches for Round 1 Group B will compete on Sunday, Oct. 17, while Group A will begin on Monday, Oct. 18. From there, Groups B and A will alternate days for competition.
Teams will play in Round 1 of the tournament, with the top from each group progressing to the Super 12s against the top-eight ranked T20 cricket nations.
Group 1 competition will begin on Saturday, Oct. 23, followed by Group 2 competition beginning on Sunday, Oct. 24. The groups will also alternate days for competition until the semifinals begin on Wednesday, Nov. 10.
There will be 45 games in the tournament including the final.
T20 World Cup groups
Round 1
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Bangladesh |
| Ireland | Scotland |
| Netherlands | Papua New Guinea |
| Namibia | Oman |
Super 12s
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| Australia | India |
| England | Pakistan |
| South Africa | New Zealand |
| West Indies | Afghanistan |
| 1st in Round 1 Group A | 1st in Round 1 Group B |
| 2nd in Round 1 Group B | 2nd in Round 1 Group A |
ICC T20 World Cup 2021 schedule
Round 1
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Location |
| Oman v. Papua New Guinea | Sunday, Oct. 17 | 6 a.m. | Oman |
| Bangladesh v. Scotland | Sunday, Oct. 17 | 10 a.m. | Oman |
| Ireland v. Netherlands | Monday, Oct. 18 | 6 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Sri Lanka v. Namibia | Monday, Oct. 18 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Scotland v. Papua New Guinea | Tuesday, Oct. 19 | 6 a.m. | Oman |
| Oman v. Bangladesh | Tuesday, Oct. 19 | 10 a.m. | Oman |
| Namibia v. Netherlands | Wednesday, Oct. 20 | 6 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Sri Lanka v. Ireland | Wednesday, Oct. 20 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Bangladesh v. Papua New Guinea | Thursday, Oct. 21 | 6 a.m. | Oman |
| Oman v. Scotland | Thursday, Oct. 21 | 10 a.m. | Oman |
| Namibia v. Ireland | Friday, Oct. 22 | 6 a.m. | Sharjah |
| Sri Lanka v. Netherlands | Friday, Oct. 22 | 10 a.m. | Sharjah |
Super 12 Groups 1 and 2
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Location |
| Australia v. South Africa | Saturday, Oct. 23 | 6 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| England v. West Indies | Saturday, Oct. 23 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| A1 v. B2 | Sunday, Oct. 24 | 6 a.m. | Dubai |
| India v. Pakistan | Sunday, Oct. 24 | 10 a.m. | Dubai |
| Afghanistan v. A1 | Monday, Oct. 25 | 10 a.m. | Sharjah |
| South Africa v. West Indies | Tuesday, Oct. 26 | 6 a.m. | Dubai |
| Pakistan v. New Zealand | Tuesday, Oct. 26 | 10 a.m. | Sharjah |
| England v. B2 | Wednesday, Oct. 27 | 6 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| TBD v. TBD | Wednesday, Oct. 27 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Australia v. A1 | Thursday, Oct. 28 | 10 a.m. | Dubai |
| West Indies v. B2 | Friday, Oct. 29 | 6 a.m. | Sharjah |
| Afghanistan v. Pakistan | Friday, Oct. 29 | 10 a.m. | Dubai |
| South Africa v. A1 | Saturday, Oct. 30 | 6 a.m. | Sharjah |
| England v. Australia | Saturday, Oct. 30 | 10 a.m. | Dubai |
| Afghanistan v. TBD | Sunday, Oct. 31 | 6 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| India v. New Zealand | Sunday, Oct. 31 | 10 a.m. | Dubai |
| England v. A1 | Monday, Nov. 1 | 10 a.m. | Sharjah |
| South Africa v. B2 | Tuesday, Nov. 2 | 6 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Pakistan v. TBD | Tuesday, Nov. 2 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| New Zealand v. TBD | Wednesday, Nov. 3 | 6 a.m. | Dubai |
| Afghanistan v. India | Wednesday, Nov. 3 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Australia v. B2 | Thursday, Nov. 4 | 6 a.m. | Dubai |
| West Indies v. A1 | Thursday, Nov. 4 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| New Zealand v. TBD | Friday, Nov. 5 | 6 a.m. | Sharjah |
| India v. TBD | Friday, Nov. 5 | 10 a.m. | Dubai |
| Australia v. West Indies | Saturday, Nov. 6 | 6 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| England v. South Africa | Saturday, Nov. 6 | 10 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Afghanistan v. New Zealand | Sunday, Nov. 7 | 5 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Pakistan v. TBD | Sunday, Nov. 7 | 9 a.m. | Sharjah |
| India v. TBD | Monday, Nov. 8 | 9 a.m. | Dubai |
Finals
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Venue |
| Semifinal 1 — A1 v. B2 | Wednesday, Nov. 10 | 9 a.m. | Abu Dhabi |
| Semifinal 2 — B1 v. A2 | Thursday, Nov. 10 | 9 a.m. | Dubai |
| Final | Sunday, Nov. 14 | 9 a.m. | Dubai |
