The ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024 is gearing up to be an unprecedented event in cricket history, as it sets its sights on North America. This grand tournament will take place across the United States and the West Indies, running from June 1 to June 29. A total of 20 teams will compete in this high-stakes competition, promising thrilling matches and intense rivalries, including the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan face-off.
Teams Qualified for the T20 World Cup
The T20 World Cup has expanded to feature 20 teams for the first time, a significant increase from the 16 teams in the previous 2022 edition. Direct entries were secured by the top eight teams from the last tournament, alongside the two host nations, the USA and West Indies.
Afghanistan and Bangladesh earned their spots based on their positions in the ICC T20 rankings as of November 2022. Six additional teams qualified through regional tournaments held last year across various regions including the Americas, Africa, Asia, Asia Pacific, and Europe.
This edition will be particularly notable as the USA, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda are set to make their inaugural appearances at an ICC World Cup.
Opening Ceremony and Format of the T20 World Cup
Will There Be an Opening Ceremony?
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not yet confirmed the details of the opening ceremony scheduled before the inaugural match between USA and Canada on June 1 at 7:30 PM local time (00:30 GMT) in Dallas. Nonetheless, significant promotions have been observed for a pre-match event scheduled on June 2, featuring the co-hosts West Indies against Papua New Guinea in Guyana at 10:30 AM local time (14:30 GMT).
What are the Formats and Schedule of the T20 World Cup?
The T20 World Cup will be organized in two group-based stages followed by a knockout phase starting with the semifinals. The competition includes 20 teams divided into four groups. After the round-robin matches, the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eight stage. During the Super Eight, each team in the four groups will compete once against every other team in their group. The top two teams from each group will then advance to the semifinals.
Tournament Venues and Highlight Matches
Venue Distribution
The tournament will take place across nine venues, split between the United States and the West Indies. In the U.S., the states of New York, Texas, and Florida will host a total of 16 matches. Notably, New York will be the venue for eight of these matches, including the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash.
In the Caribbean, the tournament will extend to six nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, which together will host 39 matches.
Marquee Match: India vs Pakistan
The India vs Pakistan match is a cornerstone event of any ICC World Cup, transcending group and seeding arrangements to ensure these rivals meet at least once during each ICC men’s event. The encounter is not just a cricket match but an event that captivates millions, with tickets selling out rapidly, and local economies booming due to increased hotel occupancy and visitor spending.
This year, the iconic match will take place in New York, a city with a significant South Asian community, making it an ideal location for this high-stakes game. Scheduled for June 9 at 10:30 AM local time (14:30 GMT), the game will be held at a specially constructed modular stadium in Nassau County, Long Island. In preparation, New York state officials have significantly increased security measures, describing it as the most extensive security operation to date for an event. Tickets were snapped up within hours of release, and resale prices are soaring, with seats being offered for between $1,000 to $5,000 each.
T20 World Cup Regulations: Ties, Super Overs, and Weather Delays
The T20 World Cup has specific rules in place to address tied matches, super overs, and delays caused by weather or other interruptions:
- In the event of a tie during a match, the game will immediately move to a super over. Should the super over also end in a tie, additional super overs will be played until a winner is determined.
- For a match affected by weather or other disruptions, a minimum of five overs per team must be completed for a result to be declared during the group stage and Super Eight phase.
- Both the semifinals and the final have extra time allocated to ensure that the matches can be completed should any delays occur.
- Specifically, the final is scheduled with a reserve day on Sunday, June 30, to provide an additional opportunity to complete the match if needed.
