Ireland will begin the T20 World Cup on June 5 against India in New York.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the first round groups, fixtures and venues for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with Ireland also set to play Pakistan, USA and Canada in Group A.
Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan said: “Being selected in a group that includes India and Pakistan is attractive and should attract a large crowd. We will also be playing on our home soil against one of the co-hosts. “That adds spice, and Canada.” They have a proven track record in this format, so it will be a challenging matchup. ”
He added: “It may be a cliché to say that there are no easy matches at the World Cup, but the group we have chosen embodies just that statement. But we may have a secret weapon up our sleeves. One is the huge number of Irish expatriates living in the United States.”
The tournament will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States, but all of Ireland’s first round matches will be played in the United States (two in New York and two in Florida).
Ireland’s first group stage match schedule is as follows:
- June 5: India vs Ireland (New York, 10am)
- June 7: Ireland vs. Canada (New York, 10am)
- June 14: USA vs. Ireland (Florida, 10 a.m.)
- June 16: Ireland Men vs Pakistan Men (Florida, 10am)
The tournament will be divided into 4 groups of 5 teams each to play the first round, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the second round group stage.
The top two teams from the second round of the group stage will advance to the semi-finals, with the final match to be held in Barbados on June 29th.
Prior to the tournament, Ireland will play two warm-up games against their opponents, with venues yet to be decided.
The four groups in the first round are as follows:
- Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, USA, Canada
- Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman
- Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea
- Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Nepal