India and Pakistan will only be able to meet each other if they qualify the group stage of the 2020 T20 World Cup.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2020 will mark the first time since the World Cup 2011 that arch-rivals India and Pakistan will not clash against each other at an ICC event. While the two teams only met at the semi-final stage of the 2011 World Cup, since then they have met each other in five ICC tournaments and will do so again at this year's 50-overs World Cup 2019 in England.
The news which could come as a not-so-pleasant surprise to the fans from the two countries is the result of the teams occupying the top two positions in the ICC T20I rankings (Pakistan at No.1 while India at No.2), thereby forcing them to be placed in different groups.
Also, Ashes rivals England and Australia have been placed in separate groups as well and can only meet in the later stages of the tournament.
Former champions India will square off against South Africa in their opening match of the men's T20 World Cup to be held in Australia next year, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Tuesday.
India's opening match will take place in Perth on October 24 while the tournament will get underway from October 18 with qualifying rounds in South Geelong, according to the fixtures.
India, who lost in the semifinals to eventual winners West Indies in the previous edition in 2016, face a qualifying team in their next Super 12 match in Melbourne on October 29. India won the event's inaugural edition in 2007.
The men's competition, from October 18 to November 15, will feature several qualifying matches before hosts Australia take on world's top-ranked Pakistan in the first match of the tournament-proper on October 24 under lights at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
ICC men's T20 World Cup Schedule:
First round:
18 October, 2020: Sri Lanka v Qualifier A3, Kardinia Park, South Geelong; Qualifier A2 v Qualifier A4, Kardinia Park, South Geelong
19 October, 2020: Bangladesh v Qualifier B3, Bellerive Oval, Tasmania; Qualifier B2 v Qualifier B4, Bellerive Oval, Tasmania
20 October, 2020: Qualifier A3 v Qualifier A4, Kardinia Park, South Geelong; Sri Lanka v Qualifier A2, Kardinia Park, South Geelong
21 October, 2020: Qualifier B3 v Qualifier B4, Bellerive Oval, Tasmania; Bangladesh v Qualifier B2, Bellerive Oval, Tasmania
22 October, 2020: Qualifier A2 v Qualifier A3, Kardinia Park, South Geelong; Sri Lanka v Qualifier A4, Kardinia Park, South Geelong
23 October, 2020: Qualifier B2 v Qualifier B3, Bellerive Oval, Tasmania; Bangladesh v Qualifier B4, Bellerive Oval, Tasmania
Super 12:
24 October, 2020: Australia v Pakistan, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney; India v South Africa, Perth Stadium, Perth
25 October, 2020: A1 v B2, Blundstone Arena, Hobart; New Zealand v Windies, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
26 October, 2020: Afghanistan v A2, Perth Stadium, Perth; England v B1, Perth Stadium, Perth
27 October, 2020: New Zealand v B2, Blundstone Arena, Hobart
28 October, 2020: Afghanistan v B1, Perth Stadium, Perth; Australia v Windies, Perth Stadium, Perth
29 October, 2020: Pakistan v A1, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney; India v A2, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (7.00pm)
30 October, 2020: England v South Africa, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney; Windies v B2, Perth Stadium, Perth
31 October, 2020: Pakistan v New Zealand, Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane Australia v A1, Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane
1 November, 2020: South Africa v Afghanistan, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide; India v England, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
2 November, 2020: A2 v B1, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney; New Zealand v A1, Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane
3 November, 2020: Pakistan v Windies, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide; Australia v B2, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
4 November, 2020: England v Afghanistan, Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane
5 November, 2020: South Africa v A2, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide; India v B1, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (7.00pm)
6 November, 2020: Pakistan v B2, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne; Australia v New Zealand, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
7 November, 2020: England v A2, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide; Windies v A1, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
8 November, 2020: South Africa v B1, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney; India v Afghanistan, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Semi-finals:
11 November, 2020 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
12 November, 2020 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Final: 15 November, 2020 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne.
(With PTI inputs)
