ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: Warm-up fixtures announced, India to face Australia, New Zealand at Gabba

New Delhi: ICC has released the warm-up games fixtures for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup. India will face Australia and New Zealand during their practice games. Meanwhile, history is in making as Ireland, Scotland, Namibia, UAE and Netherlands will be playing their first ever games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Indian side captained by Rohit Sharma will play against Australia on October 17 and against New Zealand on October 19 at the Gabba. The world champion and the hosts Australia will be playing just a single warm-up game. As per the announcement, the teams playing in the first round – West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Scotland, UAE and Zimbabwe – will play their warm-up matches between October 10 and 13 at the MCG and the Junction Oval in Brisbane, the teams starting at the Super 12 stage will play warm-ups on October 17 and 19 at the Gabba and Allan Border Field.

The warm-ups will be crucial especially for the sub-continent teams to get used to the conditions. India needs to capitalise and find their best playing XI according to the conditions at the Gabba.

Australia, India, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan earned direct qualification to the Super 12 stage in November 2021. This was decided on the basis of the ICC T20I rankings. The top two teams from both the groups in the first round will qualify for the Super 12. the first round will begin on October 16.

Every team, except Australia and England, will be playing two warm-up fixtures. Both these teams are having a busy schedule as they are regularly playing matches, they will enter the T20 World Cup just after a white-ball series between them.

Warm-up Fixtures: