Pakistan drawn with New Zealand

Former champions Pakistan have been bracketed with
 Zealand and Bangladesh in Group D of the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Championship to be played in Sri Lanka from September 18 to October 7.


Pakistan’s old rivals India are placed in Group A and if everything goes according to pre-tournament seedings, then the two teams will clash in a mouth-watering Super Eights match on September 30 in Colombo. Such a match will be a repeat of the final of the inaugural World Twenty20 championship that took place in South Africa in 2007.


Defending champions England will start their title defence at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo exactly one year on September 21 against one of the two qualifiers for the tournament. Stuart Broad’s side will complete its opening group commitments two days later against 2007 champions India at the same venue.

Australia, chasing the one global trophy to have eluded them, will go head-to-head with the other qualifier in Colombo on September 19, part of a double-header that also features India and a qualifier.

Sri Lanka, who lost to England in the semifinal of last year’s tournament in the West Indies, will open their campaign against Zimbabwe under lights in Hambantota on the first day of the tournament (September 18) before taking on South Africa at the same venue on September 22.

Group A: England, India, Qualifier 2

Group B: Australia, West Indies, Qualifier 1

Group C: Sri Lanka, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Group D: Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh

Schedule

Sept 18: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Hambantota

Sept 19: Australia v Q1, Colombo; India v Q2, Colombo

Sept 20: South Africa v Zimbabwe, Hambantota

Sept 21: New Zealand v Bangladesh, Pallekele; England v Q2, Colombo

Sept 22: Sri Lanka v South Africa, Hambantota; Australia v West Indies, Colombo

Sept 23: Pakistan v New Zealand, Pallekele; England v India, Colombo

Sept 24: West Indies v Q1, Colombo

Sept 25: Pakistan v Bangladesh, Pallekele

Super-Eights

Group one: A1, B2, C1, D2. Group two: A2, B1, C2, D1

Sept 27: C1 v D2, Pallekele; A1 v B2, Pallekele

Sept 28: D1 v C2, Colombo; B1 v A2, Colombo

Sept 29: A1 v D2, Pallekele; C1 v B2, Pallekele

Sept 30: B1 v C2, Colombo; D1 v A2, Colombo

Oct 1 : B2 v D2, Pallekele; A1 v C1, Pallekele

Oct 2 : B1 v D1, Colombo; A2 v C2, Colombo

Semifinals

Oct 4: Group one winners v Group two runners-up, Colombo

Oct 5: Group one runners-up v Group two champions, Colombo

Final: Oct 7: Colombo. KARACHI