Two-time champions West Indies will kickstart their ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign against Papua New Guinea, as the fixtures for the ninth edition of the tournament was revealed on Friday.
The event to be co-hosted by West Indies and the United States of America is scheduled to run from June 1-29.
West Indies, having won the title in 2012 and 2016, will begin their hunt for a third title against Papa New Guinea at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday, June 2.
This tournament will see a record 20 teams divided into four groups competing across 55 games for the right to be crowned T20 World Cup Champions 2024. Along with the co-hosts, the list also includes Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Uganda.
These 20 teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two teams progressing to the Super Eights:
Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and the USA
Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland and Oman
Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda and Papua New Guinea
Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Nepal
ICC's Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks an exciting expansion of our sport with more teams than ever before set to compete in this event.
"It’s going to be an incredible spectacle bringing together 20 international teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia, East-Asia Pacific and Europe. The release of the fixtures is made even more exciting for fans as we enter a new frontier, with the USA hosting a major ICC event for the first time. With 16 matches being played across three venues in the USA, it allows us to make a statement in the world’s biggest sports market. It will also be great to have an ICC event back in the West Indies, which has such a rich history of the game. It has hosted World Cups with great success in the past and this tournament will certainly provide a boost to the game there, especially with the final being played in Barbados," he said.
The event commences with the two co-hosts starting their campaigns on the first two days of June. United States of America will take on Canada in the tournament opener at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas on Saturday, June 1.
One of cricket’s biggest rivalries will take place in one of the world’s most iconic cities, with New York to host India and Pakistan on Sunday, June 9. The fixture will be played in a cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular stadium just 30 miles east of downtown Manhattan in Nassau County, New York. Eight matches will be played at the venue.
Defending champions England will begin their title defence on Tuesday, June 4, in Barbados against Scotland, and 2022 finalists, Pakistan, will get their challenge going on Thursday, June 6, when they play the United States in Dallas.
Among the plethora of blockbuster matchups scheduled in the group stage, fans can look forward to Sri Lanka taking on South Africa in New York on Monday, June 3, while England will go up against archrivals Australia in Barbados on Saturday, June 8. Another highly anticipated fixture will see the West Indies taking on New Zealand on Wednesday, June 12, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.
First-time qualifiers Uganda will play their first ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture in Guyana against Afghanistan on Monday, June 3. Nepal, who qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2014, will open their campaign against Sri Lanka in one of four matches to be played at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.
Upon completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each of the four groups will move into the Super Eight stage of the competition. Teams seeded first and second in their groups in the first round, will retain that seeding in the Super Eight, provided they qualify. Super Eight matches are scheduled to be played in popular Caribbean tourist destinations Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The two top teams from each group in the Super Eight will progress to the semi-finals, which will be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27 respectively. The final will be held at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, June 29.
Johnny Grave, CWI's Chief Executive echoed similar sentiments.
“The announcement of the match schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks a significant milestone in our preparations for this year’s tournament. We know that teams, fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide have been eagerly awaiting this announcement, and now that it is available, it provides a roadmap for the thrilling journey that lies ahead. In addition to the match fixtures, the announcement also highlights the host countries and iconic venues that will set the stage for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
“Each host country and city will bring its own unique flavour to the tournament, and fans from every corner of the globe can expect an exciting blend of T20 cricketing entertainment, local culture and warm hospitality. From classic rivalries to history making upsets and continental showdowns, fans can start looking forward to an action-packed month of games at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next June, and we encourage everyone to get tickets as soon as they go on sale as we expect the demand to be high," he noted.
Meanwhile, Peter Hutton, chair of T20 World Cup Incorporated, the entity established in the USA to deliver the event, is excited at the opportunity.
“The USA is already one of cricket’s biggest audiences for ICC events and bringing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to New York City, Dallas and Florida is a massive opportunity to exponentially grow the sport. We’ve got three fantastic venues to host matches and we strongly encourage fans in the USA and around the world to start planning to secure their tickets for what will be a unique cricket spectacle featuring the best players in the world," said Hutton.
Dwayne Bravo officially retires after storied career
West Indies and T20 cricket legend Dwayne Bravo has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing an end to a storied 18-year career that spanned the globe. The 40-year-old, who turns 41 next month, made the announcement via an emotional post on Instagram, citing the toll that injuries have taken on his body.
"My mind wants to keep going, but my body can no longer endure the pain, the breakdowns, and the strain," Bravo shared. "I can't put myself in a position where I might let down my teammates, my fans, or the teams I represent. So, with a heavy heart, I officially announce my retirement from the sport. Today, the Champion bids farewell."
Bravo's final season in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) was cut short by a groin injury while playing for the Trinbago Knight Riders against the St. Lucia Kings in Tarouba. Despite the abrupt end to his CPL campaign, Bravo was given a guard of honour by his teammates during his final appearance for the Trinbago Knight Riders in Port of Spain against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on September 18, 2024.
Bravo, who is the leading T20 wicket-taker in history with 631 wickets from 582 appearances, has been a trailblazer in the format. Known for his variations and impeccable death bowling, he helped revolutionize T20 cricket, setting a high standard for bowlers around the world. In his illustrious career, Bravo won titles across the globe, including in the IPL, PSL, and Big Bash League. He also played a pivotal role in the West Indies' two T20 World Cup triumphs in 2012 and 2016.
Before the start of the 2024 CPL season, Bravo had announced that it would be his last. He had been scheduled to play in the third season of the UAE's ILT20, having been retained by MI Emirates, but decided to call time on his career after his latest injury.
Bravo had already retired from international cricket in 2021 and stepped away from the IPL in 2022, transitioning into coaching roles with Chennai Super Kings and the Afghanistan men's national team.
The Trinidadian leaves behind an unmatched legacy in the CPL, where he became the most decorated player in the tournament's history, winning five titles, including three with the Trinbago Knight Riders. Bravo captained the Knight Riders to back-to-back CPL titles in 2017 and 2018 before leading the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots to their first championship in 2021.
Despite his retirement from playing, Bravo’s influence on the game is expected to continue through his coaching roles and the mentorship he has provided to countless cricketers throughout his career.
Known affectionately as "Champion," a nickname derived from his hit song of the same name, Dwayne Bravo leaves behind a T20 career that will be hard to match, not just in terms of statistics, but in the energy, flair, and joy he brought to the game.
As Bravo said in his farewell message, "The Champion bids farewell," but his legacy will undoubtedly live on.
Chandimal century sets the stage for big Sri Lanka score
Sri Lanka are well placed to mount a huge first-innings score after Dinesh Chandimal's century propelled them to 306-3 on day one against New Zealand.
After claiming a convincing win in the first Test, hosts Sri Lanka picked up where they left off in Galle.
Chandimal was the star of the show, trundling his way along to 116 from 208 deliveries before he was bowled by Glenn Phillips (1-33).
New Zealand's day started well, with Tim Southee dismissing Pathum Nissanka in the first over, yet Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne (46) put on a second-wicket partnership of 122.
But it was not just that duo who did the damage for Sri Lanka, with Angelo Mathews clipping his way to 78 not-out and Kamindu Mendis helping himself to an unbeaten half-century before stumps, which brought up a record of eight successive fifties since he made his Test debut.
Sri Lanka got lucky at times, with Daryl Mitchell putting down two catches in the slips while Tom Blundell squandered a great chance to stump Karunaratne, but the Black Caps must now look to recover with a better showing in the field on day two.
Data Debrief: Blundell's century a rare bright spot
While Blundell was left red-faced when he failed to stump Karunaratne, the New Zealand wicketkeeper did have something to smile about on Thursday.
When he caught out Nissanka early on, Blundell became the fifth wicketkeeper to record 100 dismissals for the Black Caps in the longest format (86 catches, 14 stumpings).
Indeed, his tally of stumpings is the most in Test history for New Zealand, which is why his blunder later on was such a bad miss.
For Sri Lanka, meanwhile, Mendis ticked over 900 Test runs across 2024, the second-most of any player this year, behind England's Joe Root (986).
Hope and Hetmyer take Warriors to victory over faltering Royals
Guyana Amazon Warriors helped their chances of securing a top two finish in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) by inflicting a 47-run defeat on Barbados Royals Wednesday night. The Royals would have been hopeful for a top of the table finish too given their earlier form in the competition but a third defeat for them in recent matches means they may have to settle for third or fourth place and a harder path to the title.
Royals captain Rovman Powell won the toss on what looked a fantastic batting wicket and opted to insert the opposition. The pitch was conducive to stroke-play and despite the early loss of Rahmanullah Gurbaz the Warriors cashed in, posting an imposing 219-8 off their 20 overs.
At one point, when Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer were in full flow and displaying some mouth-watering stroke play it very much looked like a bigger total would be in the offing for the Warriors but after the two experienced hands fell before the end (for 71 off 37 balls and 57 off 34 balls respectively) the Royals managed to peg the defending champions back in the final five overs. Maheesh Theeskhana the pick of the Royals bowlers with an economical and wicket-taking spell of 3-15.
So consistent in the earlier stages of the competition, the Royals’ batting card failed to fire in response. Moeen Ali pinned talisman Quinton de Kock lbw for 35 and Imran Tahir sprinting off into the outfield in customary celebration with the key wicket of Powell.
David Miller, unbeaten on 71, offered some resistance in the Royals middle order and played some audacious strokes at the back end to take him to a battling half century but wickets continuously fell all around him as the Warriors spin attack used the scoreboard pressure to their advantage and piled on the pain. A score of 172-9 at the close meant the Royals finished comfortably short and the Warriors were never in trouble.
Moeen Ali continued his fine tournament with the ball by claiming 2-16 and fellow spinner Gudakesh Motie was more expensive but pocketed three wickets. The Warriors are finding form in both departments as the competition heads into its final phase.
David Miller’s pyrotechnics once the result had effectively been decided meant the final scorecard wasn’t as grim as it could have been for the Royals but they have plenty to put right after a chastening defeat to their fellow title hopefuls.
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