The battle lines for the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup 2024 have been drawn.
India, Australia, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are in Group 1 of the Super 8, while the West Indies, South Africa, England and the United States of America comprise Group 2.
The teams play three matches each during the Super 8 phase, the top two in each group qualifying for the semi-finals.
The Super 8 stage commences in Antigua on June 19 (8 pm IST) with a match between the USA and South Africa in Antigua.
The West Indies clash against defending champions England in St Lucia on June 20 (6 am IST).
India kick-off their Super 8 fixture with a tricky match against Afghanistan in Barbados on June 20 (8 pm IST) in what looms as a crucial fixture for their chances to make it to the semis.
This will be the first occasion in the ongoing T20 World Cup that India will play a T20 match in the Caribbean, having played their three group matches in the US. The game against Canada in Florida was washed out.
2007 champions India, looking to reclaim the T20 World Cup after 17 years, will face Bangladesh in their second Super 8 match in Antigua on June 22 (8 pm IST).
India's title credentials will face their biggest test when they take on Australia in one of the biggest games of the World Cup in St Lucia on June 24 (8 pm IST).
The Super 8 Group 2, despite having a surprise qualifier in the USA, has a lot of interesting battles lined up. Could giant Killers USA, who stunned Pakistan in the group stages, cause another major upset in Super 8 where they face tough opponents in the West Indies, England and South Africa?
England versus South Africa on June 21 (8 pm IST) and the West Indies versus South Africa on June 24 (6 am IST) are the two other interesting contests lined-up from Group 2.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, which will is a one-day affair on June 27 if you are watching the match in India.
The first semi-final is scheduled to be held in Trinidad on June 26 8 pm local time (which is June 27, 6 am IST), while the second semi will be played a few hours later at Guyana on June 27 10.30 am local time (June 27, 8 pm IST).
In a strange ruling, irrespective of how they finish in the Super 8 if India qualify for the last four, they will play the second semi-final in Guyana. This has been done to benefit the broadcaster, who will certainly reap rich rewards if India advance as the second semi-final has been scheduled to be played in the time zone suited for the Indian audience at 8 pm IST.
In another bizarre rule, the first semi-final has a reserve day in case of rain, but there is no such benefit for the teams playing the second semis.
With just a one day gap before the second semi-final and the final on Saturday, June 29 (7.30 pm IST) the organisers have decided against a reserve day.
In the absence of a reserve day, the second semi-final will have nearly four hours (250 minutes) of extra time allotted to finish the match in case of rain delays.
India's Super 8 Fixtures:
June 20: Versus Afghanistan, Bridgetown, Barbados, 8 pm IST.
June 22: Versus Bangladesh, North Sound, Antigua, 8 pm IST.
June 24: Versus Australia, Gros Islet, St Lucia, 8 pm IST.
