ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022: India to face Pakistan at MCG on October 23 (Tournament Thread)

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 warm-up fixture between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe has been rescheduled and will now be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday, 11 October at 14h30 local time.

The match was to be played on Monday, 10 October at 19h00 at the same venue as per the original schedule but the change has had to be carried out following a change in Zimbabwe’s travel schedule.

The eight teams featuring in the first round of the 16-team tournament play their warm-up fixtures from 10-13 October in Melbourne. The Junction Oval is the other venue that will host practice matches for the first round.

The warm-up fixtures for teams who have direct entries in the Super 12s will be played at two venues in Brisbane – the Gabba and the Allan Border Field – on 17 and 19 October.

The complete warm-up fixtures:

10 Oct - West Indies v UAE, Junction Oval, 11h00
10 Oct - Scotland v Netherlands, Junction Oval, 15h00
11 Oct - Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, MCG, 14h30
11 Oct - Namibia v Ireland, MCG, 19h00
12 Oct - West Indies v Netherlands, MCG, 19h00
13 Oct - Zimbabwe v Namibia, Junction Oval, 23h00
13 Oct - Sri Lanka v Ireland, Junction Oval, 15h00
13 Oct - Scotland v UAE, MCG, 19h00
17 Oct - Australia v India, The Gabba, 14h00
17 Oct - New Zealand v South Africa, Allan Border Field, 14h00
17 Oct - England v Pakistan, The Gabba, 18h00
17 Oct - Afghanistan v Bangladesh, Allan Border Field, 18h00
19 Oct - Afghanistan v Pakistan, The Gabba 13h00
19 Oct - Bangladesh v South Africa, Allan Border Field, 18h00
19 Oct - New Zealand v India, The Gabba, 18h00

I think Pakistan will not play Afghanistan in warm up game. They should not ideally. I do not understand why Pakistan is forced to play Afghanistan here & there.
 
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The warm-up matches for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 kicked off with two exciting battles in Melbourne. West Indies emerged victorious over UAE by 17 runs in the first match, whereas Netherlands fell 18 runs short of Scotland’s total in the second game of the day.
Warm-up 1: West Indies v Scotland, West Indies won by 17 runs

West Indies faced a stern challenge from a spirited UAE side as they put on a superb bowling performance against the two-time world champions, led by Junaid Siddique’s breathtaking spell of 4-0-13-5. However, Brandon King’s 64 and skipper Nicholas Pooran’s 46 helped the Caribbean side post a total of 152/9 in their quota of 20 overs.

UAE never got going with the bat as they lost wickets at regular intervals which kept pegging them back in the chase at every stage. Opening batter Muhammad Waseem tried his best but he didn’t find enough support from the other end. Lower-order batter Zawar Farid played an excellent cameo of 29* off 14 towards the end of their innings, putting on an excellent stand of 53 runs with Waseem who remained unbeaten on 69. But that came too late in the innings as UAE fell short of West Indies’ total by 17 runs.


Warm-up 2: Scotland v Netherlands, Scotland won by 18 runs

In the second match of the day, Scotland and Netherlands locked horns at the same venue. Scotland put on a total of 151/7 on the board, led by Richie Berrington’s 41 and Michael Leask’s 37, while Brandon Glover and Bas de Leede shone with their bowling for Netherlands, picking up three wickets each.

Netherlands had the quality and firepower in their batting unit to chase the target down but Scotland put on a disciplined bowling performance to restrict them to 133/7, winning the match by 18 runs. Max O’Dowd was Netherlands’ highest scorer with 43 runs to his name, whereas Brad Wheal was the pick of the Scotland bowlers with figures of 2/24 to his name.

ICC
 
Lol Trundler harshal Patel went for 50 even against a club side. The most useless player in the history of cricket.
Don't know what the pathetic selectors saw in him. If early exit happens, It will be because of him.
 
Matches between Pakistan and India shouldn't be fixed for ICC tournies.

If ICC do not have the cojones for punishing India for their IPL discriminatory behaviour or for refusing to play Pak as per schedule, then they shouldn't be allowed to profiteer from fixing matches.

It's also unfair on other teams who may not get a chance to play either side.
 
With the frequent fall of wickets crucial to restricting the flow of runs in T20Is we rank the top strike bowlers for every team at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

In the T20 format made for huge hits and swift scoring, bowlers can perhaps have the most impact by taking early wickets or running through the middle order.

With a close look at the MRF Tyres T20I Bowling Rankings and the latest form, we rank the T20 World Cup strike bowling combinations that can influence results for every team.

Note: Rankings and statistics as on 10 October 2022


1. Afghanistan
Afghanistan have arguably the most damaging T20 bowler in the world in Rashid Khan.

The 24-year-old leg-spinner has taken the second most wickets in T20Is (118) while also having one of the best strike rates (13.6).

Rashid took eight wickets in five matches at the T20 World Cup last year and should make more of an impact this time especially with 21-year-old off-spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman posing a threat at the other end.

Rashid Khan
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 2
Career wickets: 118
Career strike rate: 13.6
Latest T20I bowling: 0/33, 2/25, 1/39, 3/22, 0/12

Mujeeb ur Rahman
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 8
Career wickets: 45
Career strike rate: 16.2
Latest T20I bowling: 0/29, 0/12, 2/30, 3/16, 2/24


2. India
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has emerged as India’s key T20I bowler especially with Jasprit Bumrah missing through injury.

Bhuvneshwar only played one match at the T20 World Cup last year but with 32 wickets already in 2022, and two of those coming with the first ball of an innings, he looms as integral to India’s chances this time.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal offers useful variety and is one of only 10 bowlers to claim six wickets in a T20I.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 12
Career wickets: 85
Career strike rate: 19.2
Latest T20I bowling: 1/39, 0/52, 5/4, 0/30, 1/40

Yuzvendra Chahal
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 34
Career wickets: 85
Career strike rate: 18.2
Latest T20I bowling: 1/22. 0/12, 1/42, 3/34, 1/43


3. South Africa

Imposing speedster Lungi Ngidi has the best strike rate (12.4) of any bowler to take 50 wickets or more in T20Is and will be pivotal to South Africa’s chances especially in the absence of Dwaine Pretorius.

Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi took eight wickets in five matches at the last T20 World Cup and has a recent five-for against England to his name.

Lungi Ngidi
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 37
Career wickets: 51
Career strike rate: 12.4
Latest T20I bowling: 2/51, 0/49, 1/14, 1/39, 0/10

Tabraiz Shamsi
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 5
Career wickets: 69
Career strike rate: 17.9
Latest T20I bowling: 0/27, 1/31, 2/37, 5/24, 3/27


4. Australia
Josh Hazlewood has been at the top of his game this year with 20 wickets in 11 T20Is and arrives at the tournament as the No.1 ranked T20 bowler.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa has taken the most wickets in T20Is (75) for the defending champions and claimed the equal second-most victims (13) at the last T20 World Cup.

Josh Hazlewood
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 1
Career wickets: 52
Career strike rate: 15.1
Latest T20I bowling: 0/19, 3/35, 1/40, 0/20, 2/39

Adam Zampa
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 4
Career wickets: 75
Career strike rate: 19.1
Latest T20I bowling: 1/34, 0/21, 0/44, 3/16, 0/36


5. New Zealand

Lachlan Ferguson hits the deck hard and unsettles batters with his raw speed but also has the control to claim regular wickets with 32 in 21 T20Is.

Trent Boult took more wickets (13) than any other pace bowler, and the equal second-most overall, at the last T20 World Cup and can be relied on to again be a key player for New Zealand.

Lachlan Ferguson
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 23
Career wickets: 32
Career strike rate: 14.1
Latest T20I bowling: 0/16, 1/33, 0/23, 1/35, 1/10

Trent Boult
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 26
Career wickets: 66
Career strike rate: 16.5
Latest T20I bowling: 2/25, 1/22, 0/21, 1/36, 1/31


6. Sri Lanka

With two spinners in the top seven of the MRF Tyres T20 Bowling Rankings, Sri Lanka have the potential to back up their Asia Cup triumph with a long T20 World Cup run.

Wanindu Hasaranga has 71 wickets in just 44 T20Is while taking those at a devastating strike rate of a wicket every 13.1 deliveries. Few would doubt the leg-spinner can make a similar impact to the last T20 World Cup when he was the leading wicket-taker with 16.

Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana might be less damaging but has shown he can claim scalps while restricting runs from the opening overs.

Wanindu Hasaranga
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 3
Career wickets: 71
Career strike rate: 13.1
Latest T20I bowling: 3/27, 3/21, 0/39, 0/23, 2/41

Maheesh Theekshana
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 7
Career wickets: 22
Career strike rate: 27.27
Latest T20I bowling: 1/25, 2/21, 2/29, 1/29, 1/23


7. England

After overcoming a series of injuries Mark Wood is finally making the most of his express pace and has prepared for the T20 World Cup with nine wickets in his past three T20Is.

Left-arm seamer Reece Topley adds useful variety to the attack and also looks ready to deliver on his promise with 16 wickets in T20Is this year.

Mark Wood
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 32
Career wickets: 35
Career strike rate: 14.3
Latest T20I bowling: 3/34, 3/20, 3/24, 0/34, 0/47

Reece Topley
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 14
Career wickets: 21
Career strike rate: 20.9
Latest T20I bowling: 2/36, 1/34, 1/31, 2/37, 1/22


8. Pakistan

Pace bowler Haris Rauf has risen up the MRF Tyres T20 Bowling Rankings this year with 21 wickets in 15 T20Is, after taking eight at the T20 World Cup last year.

The 21-year-old Mohammad Wasim is the rising star for Pakistan and already has an impressive strike rate of a wicket every 13.7 balls.

Haris Rauf
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 15
Career wickets: 62
Career strike rate: 16.9
Latest T20I bowling: 3/28, 1/38, 0/24, 2/41, 3/32

Mohammad Wasim
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 74
Career wickets: 24
Career strike rate: 13.7
Latest T20I bowling: 2/20, 3/24, 0/61, 0/29, 1/32



9. Bangladesh

Bangladesh rely on their spinners more than most and when they need a wicket their left-armer Shakib Al Hasan is often thrown the ball to add to his record tally of 122 victims.

Mustafizur Rahman is six wickets short of becoming just the sixth bowler to claim 100 T20I wickets, with the pace bowler still crucial to the Bangladesh bowling mix.

Shakib Al Hasan
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 22
Career wickets: 122
Career strike rate: 18.2
Latest T20I bowling: 0/23, 0/31, 1/13, 1/10, 1/38

Mustafizur Rahman
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 39
Career wickets: 94
Career strike rate: 16.5
Latest T20I bowling: 0/48, 2/31, 1/32, 0/30, 1/22


10. West Indies

Left-arm speedster Obed McCoy has emerged as a weapon for the West Indies and showed the impact he can have when removing India captain Rohit Sharma with the first ball of a T20I in August then finishing with 6/17 off four overs.

Jason Holder has 23 wickets in 16 T20Is this year and will need to carry that form into theT20 World Cup if the two-time champions are to cause an upset and claim a third title.

Obed McCoy
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 41
Career wickets: 37
Career strike rate: 13.1
Latest T20I bowling: 2/33, 3/40, 1/39, 0/27, 2/66

Jason Holder
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 43
Career wickets: 46
Career strike rate: 20.5
Latest T20I bowling: 0/27, 1/30, 0/40, 1/42, 1/38


11. Ireland

The 22-year-old Josh Little is enjoying a breakout 2022 with 28 wickets in 19 T20Is, while Mark Adair is the second-fastest bowler to reach 50 T20I wickets after doing it in 28 matches.

Josh Little
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 46
Career wickets: 51
Career strike rate: 19.4
Latest T20I bowling: 2/14, 0/25, 2/29, 2/18, 1/33

Mark Adair
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 55
Career wickets: 72
Career strike rate: 15
Latest T20I bowling: 3/16, 1/23, 1/42, 2/12, 0/39


12. Zimbabwe
Pace bowlers Luke Jongwe and Tendai Chatara often work well in tandem and between them have 28 wickets in T20Is in 2022.

Luke Jongwe
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 60
Career wickets: 48
Career strike rate: 14.2
Latest T20I bowling: 1/28, 0/7, 2/34, 1/6, 1/39

Tendai Chatara
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 68
Career wickets: 47
Career strike rate: 18.7
Latest T20I bowling: 1/21, 3/14, 1/24, 2/33, 0/24


13. Namibia

All-rounders Jan Frylinck and JJ Smit have each claimed rare six-wicket hauls in a T20I and should relish the opportunity to test themselves on the biggest stage.

Jan Frylinck
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 67
Career wickets: 51
Career strike rate: 13.6
Latest T20I bowling: 2/25, 1/39, 1/21, 2/17, 0/32

JJ Smit
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 79
Career wickets: 31
Career strike rate: 16.4
Latest T20I bowling: 6/10, 0/44, 2/14, 0/17, 0/27


14. Scotland

Left-arm spinner Mark Watt rarely fails to take at least one wicket and will be asked to be aggressive at the T20 World Cup while Safyaan Sharif has the experience to hold up and end.

Mark Watt
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 29
Career wickets: 57
Career strike rate: 18.3
Latest T20I bowling: 0/37, 1/32, 0/41, 1/20, 1/13

Safyaan Sharif
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 65
Career wickets: 61
Career strike rate: 18.2
Latest T20I bowling: 0/48, 1/41, 0/14, 2/28, 1/21


15. Netherlands

Netherlands may look to add the promising Brandon Glover to a bowling line-up led by the reliable Fred Klaassen.

Fred Klaassen
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 80
Career wickets: 32
Career strike rate: 18.1
Latest T20I bowling: 1/29, 0/40, 5/19, 2/16, 2/18

Brandon Glover
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 72
Career wickets: 30
Career strike rate: 14.2
Latest T20I bowling: 1/12, 1/21, 3/24, 1/22, 4/12

Top wicket-takers at every T20 World Cup
16. United Arab Emirates
Zahoor Khan makes a mark with his steady line and reliable attack on the stumps, while Junaid Siddique will be riding high after a taking 5/13 against the West Indies in a T20 World Cup warm-up match.

Zahoor Khan
ICC T20I bowling ranking: 69
Career wickets: 41
Career strike rate: 17.5
Latest T20I bowling: 0/41, 1/34, 3/29, 1/14, 0/37

Junaid Siddique
ICC T20I bowling ranking: NA
Career wickets: 29
Career strike rate: 18.2
Latest T20I bowling: 0/33, 1/35, 3/14, 1/34, 1/38

ICC
 
GROUP A PREVIEW: WIDE-OPEN GROUP SETS THE TONE FOR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED WORLD CUP


Group A is sure to make intriguing viewing in the first round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 as Namibia, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) battle it out for the right to qualify for the Super 12.

The teams will play each other once in a round-robin format from October 16-20, with the top two advancing into the next stage.

By virtue of their world ranking, Sri Lanka are favourites to progress but face a tricky first test in the form of Namibia, who progressed to the Super 12 stage in their first ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 12 months ago.

UAE’s return to the competition comes against Netherlands, who are desperate to make up for a disappointing campaign last time out.

All six fixtures will take place at Kardinia Park in Geelong, with the winners joining reigning champions and hosts Australia, as well as Afghanistan, England, New Zealand and the Group B runners-up in Group 1 of the Super 12 stage.

The team who finishes second will enter Group 2 and face Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa and the Group A runners-up.

Namibia (second appearance)

Namibia are fast establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with on the world stage.

They were firm underdogs in their Round 1 group at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 but comfortable victories over Netherlands and Ireland ensured their progression to the latter stages.

Since then, they have claimed their first-ever series win over a Full-Member nation, beating Zimbabwe (3-2) in a five-match T20I series in May. Captain Gerhard Erasmus was the star of the show in the win that secured qualification over Ireland, notching an unbeaten half-century before David Wiese hit the winning runs.

Wicketkeeper-batter Lohan Louwrens is one new addition to keep an eye on this time around. He has captained his country at the under-19s level previously and has already made a mark for the Eagles at the senior level, scoring 111 runs in a seven-wicket win against Hong Kong in June.

Another new face already has a World Cup qualifying hat-trick to his name – Tangeni Lungameni was the scourge of the Mozambique top order during a qualifier for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and now gets his chance at the marquee tournament.

Though Sri Lanka will be a daunting first test, Namibia will hope that they get the better of the Netherlands in their second fixture, as they did last year, which could well set up a second consecutive Super 12 appearance.

Sri Lanka (eighth appearance)

Ever-presents at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka are going to have to do it the hard way if they want to become champions for the second time.

The Lions reached the final on three occasions between 2009 and 2014 and struck gold at the third time of asking thanks to a typically assured innings from Kumar Sangakkara. But two consecutive eighth-place finishes – their lowest in the history of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – means expectations have been tempered ahead of their next campaign.

The Asia Cup win in September suggests the side have turned a corner, however. Wanindu Hasaranga impressed with the ball there as only India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar took more wickets than the wily leg-spinner, who will want to retain his place in the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year.

Topping the group is the expectation for Sri Lanka, who will then be targeting a deep run in the knockout stages, which they hope will culminate in a second piece of silverware in as many months.

Netherlands (fifth appearance)

One of the final two teams to book a spot at the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Netherlands are out to right a few wrongs in Australia. Slow starts in each of the previous two tournaments have cost them a place in the Super 12 stage.

A defeat to Bangladesh and a washout against Oman saw them eliminated before their final first round fixture at the 2016 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Then, in 2021, they were soundly beaten in each of their three fixtures and were skittled out for less than 110 on two occasions.

That means a fast start is a must this year for the lowest-ranked side in the group and they will want to be in a strong position prior to their clash with Sri Lanka on October 20.

One of those who struggled to get going in the UAE was Bas de Leede, who failed to make double figures in either of his group stage innings.

The summer was a much brighter time for the 22-year-old, though, who struck two T20I half-centuries against New Zealand and 89 against Pakistan in an ODI.

If he and opener Max O’Dowd can find their best form, the Netherlands could well spring a surprise.

United Arab Emirates (second appearance)

After an eight-year hiatus, the UAE are back on the T20I world stage and looking to make history.

Their only previous ICC Men’s T20 World Cup appearance, in 2014, yielded three defeats, and so a win this time around would be their first in this event and only their second ever in a global ICC tournament, with their sole success to date coming against the Netherlands in the 1996 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

The Netherlands will be keen to avoid a repeat of that outcome when the pair meet in their opening fixture on October 16th, though the UAE do have the recent form on their side, having won four of their five previous meetings.

Bar a change in captain, preparations for the tournament have been smooth, and they gave two-time world champions West Indies a stern test in their penultimate warm-up fixture, with spinner Junaid Siddique impressing with figures of five for 13.

They ultimately came up 17 runs short chasing 152 despite the best efforts of Muhammad Waseem (69 from 52) and Zawar Farid (29 from 14).

It was a promising and morale-boosting team performance and one that suggests they have what it takes to ruffle a few feathers in Group 1.
 
Group B: Established powers vie for Super 12 spots


Two-time champions West Indies headline Group B of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, with Ireland, Scotland and Zimbabwe also vying for a Super 12 spot.

The teams will clash in a round-robin format from October 17-21, with the top two advancing to the next stage. The Bellerive Oval in Hobart will play host for all six First Round fixtures but only two will be able to return to the 20,000 capacity stadium in the knockout phase.

Windies find themselves in the first round by virtue of having finished ninth at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, their lowest finish since the inaugural tournament in 2007.

Scotland are the only other side in the group who made the Super 12 stage last time out, having topped Group B 12 months ago in Oman.

Ireland, meanwhile, have not progressed to the knockout phase in any of their last five tournaments and Zimbabwe are making their first tournament appearance since 2016.

West Indies (eighth appearance)

A new-look West Indies head to Australia hoping that a clean slate yields a change in fortune.

Gone are many of the usual protagonists - Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have retired, Andre Russell was left out and Shimron Hetmyer didn’t make the trip.

Nicholas Pooran is the man entrusted with leading the side and how he performs both with the bat, and as captain – in what is his first ICC tournament in charge – may determine how deep the Windies go at the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Yannic Cariah is a surprise inclusion in the squad, having not bowled in any T20 game since 2016. Whether he and left-arm option Akeal Hosein have enough to bamboozle the world’s best batters remains to be seen but there is no shortage of all-rounders who are well-placed to contribute to the wickets column.

Jason Holder is a man who needs no introduction, while the uncapped Raymon Reifer could also be one to keep an eye on as the Men in Maroon look to kickstart what they will hope will be a bright, new era.

Ireland (seventh appearance)

Not since 2009 have Ireland reached the knockout stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and they will hope that this is finally the year they lay their group stage hoodoo to rest.

They looked on course to end their barren run in the UAE after beating the Netherlands in their opening fixture but were overcome by Sri Lanka before losing to Namibia in a winner-takes-all encounter.

Their opening fixture, against Zimbabwe, could well determine their fate with the pair just a place apart in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings.

Kevin O’Brien may have called time on his career in August, but the likes of Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie still offer a wealth of experience. The batting department looks well stocked with Gareth Delany and Harry Tector sure to be aggressive from the get-go, but the bowling unit has been weakened by the loss of the injured Craig Young.

Ireland have played a lot of cricket over the summer against the world’s best sides in both T20 and ODI formats and will now hope that their prolonged preparation pays off in the form of a place in the Super 12.

Scotland (fifth appearance)

Whereas Ireland have played more than 20 T20Is this year, Scotland have played just two since the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, prior to a warm-up fixture against the Netherlands.

Two T20Is against New Zealand in July ended in heavy defeats, though they have fared better in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, with five wins in their last six in the 50-over competition.

This year's squad has a similar feel to the one which claimed three group stage wins in 2021, including George Munsey, who looks set to impress with the bat once more - the opener strikes at 144 in T20I cricket.

He and Richie Berrington, who has not missed a T20 international since February 2010, will be key to their hopes of a second consecutive Super 12 spot.

They may be the lowest ranked side in the group but they have more than enough talent throughout the team to compete. Take spinner Mark Watt for example, who has a T20I five-for to his name and is often entrusted to bowl at the death due to his tight line and ability to bowl yorkers.

Zimbabwe (sixth appearance)

With a new head coach and an impressive recent run in T20Is, expectations are high for the Chevrons as they journey down under.

A legend of Zimbabwe cricket as a player and as a coach, Dave Houghton will lead his country at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup nearly 40 years after his international debut as a player.

His re-appointment in the summer is bound to have generated a feel-good factor around the camp, not that one was needed, with the side having won seven of their last nine T20Is.

Houghton even masterminded a shock 50-over victory over Australia in Queensland in September, with leg-spinner Ryan Burl finishing with figures of five-for-ten. But the man of the moment is undoubtedly 36-year-old all-rounder Sikandar Raza, whose strike rate currently hovers around 150 in the T20 format.

And with captain Craig Ervine back from a hamstring injury at the top of the order, Zimbabwe will fancy their chances of securing a Super 12 stage spot for the first time in their history.
 
Hosts Australia will begin their title defence at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in front of a capacity crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with the opening Super 12 clash officially declared a sell-out.

In what will be a re-match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Final, Aaron Finch’s team will face Kane Williamson's New Zealand in a 6pm AEDT fixture on Saturday 22 October.

Over 600,000 tickets have already been snapped up by fans to watch the first ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup played in Australia.

The India v Pakistan fixture, to be played the following night at the MCG on October 23, will also be played in front of a full house after additional standing room tickets released two months ago were sold within 10 minutes.

An official T20 World Cup re-sale platform has been launched, providing a safe and secure way for fans to buy and sell tickets at face value and ensure as many tickets as possible are used.

Current ticket allocations are also all sold for the double-header at the SCG on 27 October featuring South Africa v Bangladesh and India v Group A runner-up. There are also a very limited number of tickets remaining to the opening match-day of the event, which begins with Sri Lanka taking on Namibia at Kardinia Park Stadium in Geelong this Sunday.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup CEO Michelle Enright said: “The T20 World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and we’re delighted that we’re set to see big crowds for both the opening match of the event in Geelong this Sunday and the first weekend of the Super 12 stage in a week’s time.”

“It’s going to be fantastic to see full stadiums for cricket in October and a great way for fans to celebrate the first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia."

“No matter if you support Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, or any other team, there are still some great seats available at matches right across the seven host cities, so I’d encourage everyone who hasn’t secured their tickets to jump on board for what will be an unmissable event.”

AUSTRALIA’S T20 WORLD CUP FIXTURE

V New Zealand, SCG, Sat 22 Oct, 6pm AEDT (SOLD OUT)

V Group A winner, Perth Stadium, Tue 25 Oct, 7pm AWST

V England, MCG, Fri 28 Oct, 7pm AEDT

V Group B runner-up, Gabba, Mon 31 Oct, 6pm AEST

V Afghanistan, Adelaide Oval, Fri 4 Nov, 6:30pm ACST

NEW ZEALAND’S T20 WORLD CUP FIXTURE

V Australia, SCG, Sat 22 Oct, 6pm AEDT (SOLD OUT)

V Afghanistan, MCG, Wed 26 Oct, 7pm AEDT

V Group A winner, SCG, Sat 29 Oct, 7pm AEDT

V England, Gabba, Tue 1 Nov, 6pm AEST

V Group B runner-up, Adelaide Oval, Fri 4 Nov, 2:30pm ACST
 
<b>All the squads for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022</b>

We take a look at all the 16 squads for this year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
The full selection of players who will compete at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 has been confirmed after the deadline passed for final squad changes.

All teams competing in the First Round of the tournament had already finalised their rosters by a deadline of 9 October, with the Super 12 teams having until 15 October to make any changes.

Bangladesh, Pakistan and India took the opportunity to confirm final adjustments just prior to the deadline. Any further changes will require special ICC permission.

Here are all the T20 World Cup squads for this year's tournament:

<b>First Round Group A</b>
Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Divan la Cock, Stephan Baard, Nicol Loftie Eaton, Jan Frylinck, David Wiese, Ruben Trumpelmann, Zane Green, Bernard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni, Michael van Lingen, Ben Shikongo, Karl Birkenstock, Lohan Louwrens, Helao Ya France.

Netherlands: Scott Edwards (c), Colin Ackermann, Shariz Ahmad, Logan van Beek, Tom Cooper, Brandon Glover, Timm van der Gugten, Fred Klaassen, Bas de Leede, Paul van Meekeren, Roelof van der Merwe, Stephan Myburgh, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O’Dowd, Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh.

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera (subject to fitness), Lahiru Kumara (subject to fitness), Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan. Standby Players: Ashen Bandara, Praveen Jayawickrema, Dinesh Chandimal, Binura Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando.

United Arab Emirates: C P Rizwan (c), Vriitya Aravind, Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, Basil Hameed, Aryan Lakra, Zawar Farid, Kashif Daud, Karthik Meiyappan, Ahmed Raza, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Sabir Ali, Alishan Sharafu, Aayan Khan. Standby Players: Sultan Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Vishnu Sukumaran, Adithya Shetty, Sanchit Sharma.

<b>First Round Group B</b>
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Graham Hume.

Scotland: Richard Berrington (c), George Munsey, Michael Leask, Bradley Wheal, Chris Sole, Chris Greaves, Safyaan Sharif, Josh Davey, Matthew Cross, Calum MacLeod, Hamza Tahir, Mark Watt, Brandon McMullen, Michael Jones, Craig Wallace.

West Indies: Nicholas Pooran (c), Rovman Powell, Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed Mccoy, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith, Shamarh Brooks.

Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Bradley Evans, Luke Jongwe, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Sean Williams. Standby Players: Tanaka Chivanga, Innocent Kaia, Kevin Kasuza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Victor Nyauchi.

<b>Super 12 Group 1</b>
Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Naveen ul Haq, Qais Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Salim Safi, Usman Ghani. Standby Players: Afsar Zazai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib.

Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

England: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Alex Hales. Standby Players: Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, Tymal Mills.

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Martin Guptill, Lachlan Ferguson, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Finn Allen.

<b>Super 12 Group 2</b>
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Nurul Hasan, Afif Hossain, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Litton Das, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Musaddek Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Yasir Ali Chowdhury.Reserves: Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin

India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami. Standby Players: Mohammed Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Shardul Thakur.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood. Standby Players: Usman Qadir, Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Rillee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen. Standby Players: Bjorn Fortuin, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lizaad Williams.

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