-Trinidad, USA venues selected only
ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup organisers have unveiled the schedule for the official warm-up matches leading into the tournament – and only venues in Trinidad and the United States will stage them.
The 16-match schedule announced on Wednesday by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the world organising body for the sport, showed the matches will be split equally between venues in Trinidad and the United States.
Queen’s Park Oval and Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad will stage matches, and the three approved international venues in the United States, Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill in the state of Florida, Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas in the state of Texas, and Nassau County International Cricket Stadium east of Manhattan in the state of New York have been carded to host matches.
Co-hosts West Indies will play only one warm-up match against Test and One-day International world champions Australia, a night-time contest starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, at the Queen’s Park Oval.
Glamour team, India have only one warm-up match scheduled against fellow Asian side, Bangladesh in the United States, but the start time and match venue are yet to be confirmed, while defending champions England have no warm-up matches scheduled, neither does New Zealand nor Pakistan.
The warm-up matches will be 20 overs-a-side, but they will not carry official T20I status as teams will be allowed to field all members of their 15-player squad.
According to the ICC news release announcing the schedule, teams will have the option of playing up to two warm-up matches depending on their arrival time at the event in a change from previous tournaments.
MATCH SCHEDULE
Monday, May 27
Canada vs Nepal, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas, 10:30 a.m. start
Oman vs Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad, 3 p.m.
Namibia vs Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 28
Sri Lanka vs Netherlands, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida, 10:30 a.m.
Bangladesh vs USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas, 10:30 a.m.
Australia vs Namibia, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 29
South Africa intra-squad, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida, 10:30 a.m.
Afghanistan vs Oman, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, 1 p.m.
Thursday, May 30
Nepal vs USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas, 10:30 a.m.
Scotland vs Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad, 10:30 a.m.
Netherlands vs Canada, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas, 3 p.m.
Namibia vs Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad, 3 p.m.
West Indies vs Australia, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 31
Ireland vs Sri Lanka, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida, 10:30 a.m.
Scotland vs Afghanistan, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, June 1
Bangladesh vs India, Venue TBC USA