World T20: Pakistan drawn with New Zealand, Bangladesh

Defending champions England and India have been placed in the same preliminary group, group A.

COLOMBO:

Pakistan have been drawn in Group D along with New Zealand and Bangladesh for next year’s World Twenty20 tournament which will be held in Sri Lanka from September 18 to October 7.

Defending champions England and 2007 winners India have been placed in Group A, along with a yet-to-be determined qualifier. Australia, West Indies and a qualifier are drawn in Group B, while hosts Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zimbabwe are in Group C.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Eights, which will also be contested in two pools. The first two in each pool will advance to the semi-finals.

The Premadasa stadium
in Colombo will hold the semi-finals on October 4 and 5, as well as the final on October 7.

The two qualifiers will be determined through a separate competition between non-Test nations to be held in the UAE from March 13.

The International Cricket Council Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, while announcing the draws, said that he was confident that Sri Lanka will pull off a successful event.

“Following the success of the World Cup, I’m confident that Sri Lanka will deliver another world class event,” he said. “Nothing beats nation-versus-nation contests and when these battles take place in the newest, sharpest and quickest form of the game, you can feel the excitement in fans.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd,  2011.