Cricket’s biggest tournament is coming to North America.
USA and West Indies will host 20 teams in the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024, which will be held from June 1-29.
Here’s what you need to know about the tournament:
Which teams will be competing in the T20 World Cup?
The tournament has been expanded to 20 teams for the first time, up from 16 in the 2022 edition.
The top eight teams from the previous tournament and the two hosts (USA and West Indies) qualified directly.
Afghanistan and Bangladesh qualified based on their ICC T20 rankings as on the cut-off date in November 2022.
The remaining six teams advanced from regional qualifying tournaments held last year in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Asia Pacific and Europe.
USA, Papua New Guinea and Uganda will be competing in the ICC World Cup for the first time.
Here is Al Jazeera’s list of all 20 teams.
Will there be an opening ceremony?
The ICC has yet to announce the official line-up for the opening ceremony ahead of the opening match between the United States and Canada in Dallas at 7:30 pm local time (12:30 am GMT) on June 1. But there is heavy promotion going on for pre-match events on June 2, when co-hosts West Indies take on Papua New Guinea in Guyana at 10:30 am local time (1:30 pm GMT).
What is the format and schedule of the T20 World Cup?
The tournament is split into two group rounds and a knockout round starting with the semi-finals.
The 20 teams will be split into four groups, with the top two from each group progressing to the Super Eight after a round-robin format.
The four teams from each group will play each other once in the Super Eight phase, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals.
Al Jazeera lists all the matches here, along with times and venues.
Group Stage: June 1st to 17th
Super Eight: June 18 to 25
Semi-finals: June 26th and 27th
Last: June 29th
T20 World Cup Groups
Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, USA, Canada
Group B: Australia, England, Namibia, Scotland, Oman
Group C: Afghanistan, New Zealand, West Indies, Papua New Guinea, Uganda
Group D: Bangladesh, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands
Super Eight Group
Group 1: A1, C1, B2, D2,
Group 2: B1, D1, A2, C2
Which team do you think is the favourite to win the T20 World Cup?
Al Jazeera considers these five teams to be the favourites for the title:
Where will the match take place?
The tournament will be held at nine venues – three in the United States and six in the West Indies.
The 16 matches in the United States will be held in three cities – New York, Texas and Florida – with New York winning half of them, including the much-anticipated India vs. Pakistan match.
The six Caribbean nations that will host the 39 matches are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
Our stadium guide tells you everything you need to know about the venue.
India vs Pakistan
India vs Pakistan is the biggest match of the ICC World Cup and is a regular fixture regardless of group or seeding, meaning the two nations will meet at least once every time they take part in an ICC men’s tournament.
Whenever and wherever the South Asian rivals meet, tickets sell out in record time, hotels fill up and life in both countries comes to a standstill.
The match will take place in New York, a bustling hub of South Asian immigrants on the East Coast, at a purpose-built modular stadium in Nassau County, Long Island, on June 9 at 10:30 a.m. (14:30 p.m. GMT).
New York state has stepped up security in preparation for the massive clashes, with one police official describing it as “the biggest security we’ve ever had.”
Tickets for the match sold out within hours of going on sale, with resale platforms asking prices between $1,000 and $5,000 per seat.
What are the rules for draws, super overs and rain delays in the T20 World Cup?
There are a few. These are:
- Any tied matches will go to a Super Over, if there is still a tie the Super Over will continue until a winner is decided.
- If a match is delayed due to weather or other interruptions, each team must complete five overs before a result can be announced in the group stage and Super Eights.
- Both the semi-finals and finals will be allotted additional time to allow for completion if any delays occur.
- There will be a reserve date for the final on Sunday, June 30th.
Past T20 World Cup winners
- 2007: India
- 2009: Pakistan
- 2010: England
- year 2012: West Indies
- 2014: Sri Lanka
- 2016: West Indies
- 2021: Australia
- 2022: England
Here’s a brief history of the tournament from Al Jazeera.
How much is the prize money for the T20 World Cup?
The ICC has yet to confirm prize money for the 2024 tournament, but defending champions England will earn $1.6 million in 2022.
T20 World Cup Tickets
Tickets for the tournament will go on sale to the public in a lottery in February, with prices ranging from $6 to several hundred dollars.
Tickets for select group and Super Eight matches are still available to purchase on the tournament’s website.
Where can I watch the T20 World Cup?
The ICC allocates rights to various broadcasters and online streaming outlets around the world.
Al Jazeera will have extensive coverage of the tournament, including pre-tournament news, previews, key information, live updates from the biggest matches, post-match reaction, analysis and everything else you need to know about the T20 World Cup.
What is Cricket and how do you play it?
It’s a simple bat-and-ball game with 11 players on each team, but the rules are a bit complicated. Al Jazeera explains in detail here.
Test your cricket knowledge
Now that you know all about the sport, why not test your own knowledge with our quick cricket quiz?
