Everything you need to know about the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

The eighth ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is set to be the biggest and the best yet, with 16 teams playing 45 matches in seven Australian cities between 16 October and 13 November and for cricket fans, Ariana Television will broadcast the spectacular event live across Afghanistan.

Whether it be Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes, Carlos Brathwaite’s last-over heroics, or Shaheen Afridi’s new-ball fireworks, T20 World Cups have delivered loads of drama – and the 2022 edition is set to outdo them all.

The groups

First Round

Group A

Namibia, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates

Group B

Ireland, Scotland, West Indies, Zimbabwe

Super 12

Group 1

Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand, Group A winner, Group B runner-up

Group 2

Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Group B winner, Group A runner-up

The venues

Seven venues across Australia will be used in total during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, with the Melbourne Cricket Ground hosting the final and the semi-finals set to be played at Adelaide Oval and the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Gabba in Brisbane, Kardinia Park in Geelong, Bellerive Oval in Hobart and Perth Stadium are the other host venues.

The teams

All the squads for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

Afghanistan

An experienced squad will be looking to make an impact, spearheaded as ever by the brilliant Rashid Khan.

The star spinner is arguably the world’s most dangerous T20 bowler and will be supported by the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman to set up Afghanistan with a chance of making a deep run in the tournament.

Australia

The reigning ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions, Australia will look to make the most of home conditions to defend their crown.

A powerful batting line-up and a stellar bowling attack makes them one of the favorites after what was a somewhat unexpected win in 2021.

Bangladesh

The Tigers have moved on from some senior players in favor of an aggressive strategy based on multiple all-rounders.

A dismal showing in the Asia Cup prompted the change of approach, which makes Bangladesh dangerously unpredictable.

England

Ranked second in the MRF Tyres T20I Team Rankings coming into the tournament, England have been a consistent force in white-ball cricket for some years.

Much will rely on the form of their deep batting line-up, with some doubts over the quality of the bowling attack in the absence of the injured Jofra Archer.

India

The world’s top-ranked side in the MRF Tyres T20I Team Rankings will be looking for a much better showing than their group-stage elimination in 2021, and have brought a talent-packed squad to Australia.

The withdrawal of Jasprit Bumrah through injury is a blow but India will be confident they have the depth to cover the absence of the star pace bowler.

Ireland

The Irish stuttered at the 2021 tournament, never really clicking into gear with the bat.

But there’s plenty of talent in the Ireland squad and they are in with a strong chance of progressing to the Super 12 stage.

Namibia

Namibia’s big-hitting batting line-up upset the odds last year to reach the Super 12 stage, and they will be looking to star players David Wiese, Ruben Trumpelmann and Gerhard Erasmus to spearhead another successful First Round campaign.

Netherlands

The Dutch have had plenty of big-game experience in the build-up to the tournament, hosting a number of Full Member opponents in white-ball tours over the European summer.

Netherlands are the lowest-ranked side in the MRF Tyres T20I Team Rankings competing in Australia, and will need to turn it on in pivotal First Round clashes with Namibia and the UAE for a chance to progress to the Super 12 stage.

New Zealand

Beaten finalists in 2021, New Zealand once again come into a major tournament flying under the radar.

Ranked fifth in the world in the MRF Tyres T20I Team Rankings, the Black Caps have a little bit of everything in a squad that could once again stun the most highly-fancied nations with a deep run through the tournament.

Pakistan

The highest-ranked opening partnership in T20Is will hope to get Pakistan up to consistently competitive scores, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan entering the tournament in fine form.

Pakistan also have one of the strongest bowling attacks in the world, setting up the fourth-ranked side in the MRF Tyres T20I Team Rankings to be a match for any opponent.

Scotland

A huge opening game against West Indies in Hobart could set the tone for a Scotland side ranked 15th in the world, the second-lowest at the tournament (higher only than the Netherlands).

Opening pair George Munsey and Calum MacLeod, and keeper Matthew Cross at first drop, will be crucial to giving Scotland strong starts if they are to build or chase competitive totals.

South Africa

Bowling is South Africa’s strength, with Kagiso Rabada, Lungo Ngidi and Anrich Nortje forming an imposing seam-bowling core of the attack.

Underrated spin options and plenty of power in the batting ranks have also propelled the Proteas to third in the MRF Tyres T20I Team Rankings, and they will be among the favorites to finally end that World Cup hoodoo.

Sri Lanka

Just as they did in 2021, Sri Lanka will begin the tournament in the First Round and with their work cut out to qualify for the Super 12 stage.

But victory in the Asia Cup underlined the rapid improvement of the squad and suggests Sri Lanka could be a dark horse if they progress.

United Arab Emirates

Featuring in just their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, UAE reached the tournament courtesy of a superb showing at the Global Qualifier A.

The UAE beat Ireland in the final of that tournament but now face a tricky group against Sri Lanka, Namibia and the Netherlands as they look to prove their worth on the big stage.

West Indies

A new-look West Indies squad will be hoping for a fresh start under the guidance of skipper Nicholas Pooran after the star-studded but aging group of players who traveled to the 2021 tournament flattered to deceive.

Spinner Akeal Hosein will be crucial to the West Indies’ chances of stretching their record number of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup titles to three, but quicks like Obed McCoy, Jason Holder and Sheldon Cottrell will also need to impress.

Zimbabwe

A threatening bowling attack will look to upset the odds for Zimbabwe and help them through to the Super 12 stage.

It was the bowlers who got Zimbabwe to the T20 World Cup, dismissing Netherlands for just 95 in the final of the Global Qualifier B, and they have the talent to trouble all of their First Round opponents.

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Where to watch the T20 World Cup

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be televised across Afghanistan on Ariana Television, which secured exclusive broadcasting rights for Afghanistan earlier this year.

Tournament format

This year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup takes place in three stages.

The First Round sees two groups of four teams participating in a round-robin. The top two teams from each group progress to the Super 12 stage.

The eight nations competing in the First Round consist of the four lowest-ranked nations to have automatically qualified for the tournament at the cut-off point – Namibia, Scotland, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

They will be joined by two teams from each of the Qualifier tournaments held in 2022. Ireland and UAE progressed in Qualifier A in Oman back in February, with Netherlands and Zimbabwe triumphing in Qualifier B in Zimbabwe in July.

The top team from Group A and the second team from Group B enter Group 1 of the Super 12s, with the top finishers in Group B and the second-placed side from Group A going into Group 2.

The Super 12 stage sees two groups of six play a round-robin, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knock-out stage.

The knock-out stage consists of two semi-finals and the Final at the MCG on November 13.

Points system

In both the First Round and Super 12 group stages the following points system will apply:

Win: 2 points

Tie, no result or abandoned: 1 point

Loss or forfeit: 0 points

Reserve days

Reserve days have been scheduled for both semi-finals and the Final. No other matches will have a reserve day.

For both the semi-finals and Final, every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place.

Only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match (at least 5 overs per side) cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.

If a match starts on the scheduled day and overs are reduced following an interruption but no further play is possible, the match will resume on the reserve day at the point where the last ball was played.

Key dates

Tournament commences: 16 October

Namibia and Sri Lanka get the tournament underway in the opening match in Group A of the First Round.

Netherlands and United Arab Emirates will also feature on the opening day in a double-header at Kardinia Park in Geelong.

First Round concludes: 21 October

The short and sharp opening phase of the tournament comes to an end on 21 October with back-to-back Group B matches in Hobart.

Ireland take on West Indies in the first game of the day at the Bellerive Oval, with Scotland set to face Zimbabwe later the same day.

Super 12 stage commences: 22 October

The tournament then moves quickly into the Super 12 stage, with two fascinating matches scheduled to get Group 1 underway.

Hosts Australia take on rivals New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with Afghanistan facing England in Perth on the same day. The match between Afghanistan and England will start at 3.30pm Kabul time.

Super 12 stage concludes: 6 November

Group 2 will bring the Super 12 to a stage to a close with the prospect of qualification likely to still be in the balance.

Bangladesh and Pakistan meet in Adelaide for an afternoon encounter, with India rounding things off with an evening match in Melbourne against the winners of Group B from the First Round.

Semi-finals: 9 November and 10 November

The top two teams from each Super 12 stage group will progress to the semi-finals, scheduled to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 9 November, and Adelaide Oval on 10 November.

Final: 13 November

The tournament reaches its conclusion with the Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 13 November, barring the need for the reserve day to be used on 14 November.

Prize money

The prize pot remains the same as at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and all 16 competing teams will receive part of the $5.6 million allocated as prize money for the tournament.

The winners will collect $1.6m, with the runner-up receiving $800,000.

Both losing semi-finalists will receive $400,000.

The eight teams knocked out at the end of the Super 12 stage will get $70,000 each. Each match a team wins in the Super 12 stage will earn them $40,000.

The four teams knocked out at the end of the First Round will get $40,000. Each match a team wins in the First Round will see them collect $40,000.

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