The warm-up matches for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup were announced on Tuesday, with India set to play West Indies and South Africa in their preparations for the marquee competition. The warm-up games are scheduled from Saturday, September 28 to Tuesday, October 1 in the United Arab Emirates, as per ICC. All 10 teams that have qualified for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will participate in the practice games, with every side playing two warm-up games each.

These warm-up fixtures will be 20 overs per side and will not have international T20 status, allowing teams to field all members of their 15-player squad. No two sides who belong to the same group will take on each other in the warm-up round.

In the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup, Group A comprises defending champions Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Group B has England, South Africa, West Indies, Scotland and Bangladesh.

The warm-up fixtures will start on 28 September with Pakistan taking on Scotland and Sri Lanka facing Bangladesh. Australia will feature in a clash against arch-rivals England the following day, while India take on 2016 edition champions West Indies on the same day.

In the T20 WC last year, Australia defeated South Africa at their home by 19 runs to win their sixth title. Meanwhile, India made it to the semifinals, losing to the Aussies by five runs.

After the tournament was moved from Bangladesh to the UAE, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday revealed the revamped fixtures of the event set to be played in Dubai and Sharjah.

The groups remain the same with six-time champion Australia drawn alongside 2020 runners-up India, Trans-Tasman rival New Zealand, and Asian sides Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Group A of the event that will be held in October.

South Africa and England are placed alongside 2016 champions West Indies, Bangladesh and Scotland in Group B.

Sri Lanka and Scotland qualified for the tournament via the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament held in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.

Each side will play four group matches at the tournament, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals on 17 and 18 October ahead of the Final in Dubai on 20 October. A reserve day has been fixed for both the semi-finals and the final.

Warm-up fixture schedule:

28 September, Saturday, Pakistan v Scotland, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

28 September, Saturday, Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, ICCA1, Dubai, 6 PM

29 September, Sunday, New Zealand v South Africa, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

29 September, Sunday, India v West Indies, ICCA2, Dubai, 6 PM

29 September, Sunday, Australia v England, ICCA1, Dubai, 6 PM

30 September, Monday, Sri Lanka v Scotland, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

30 September, Monday, Bangladesh v Pakistan, ICCA2, Dubai, 6 PM

1 October, Tuesday, West Indies v Australia, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

1 October, Tuesday, England v New Zealand, ICCA2, Dubai, 6 PM

1 October, Tuesday, South Africa v India, ICCA1, Dubai, 6 PM.

Jess Jonassen does Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic pose during a women’s CPL match.© X/@prashasti1612

Australian skipper Alyssa Healy said that it is “hard to fathom” playing the ICC T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, as the country continues to deal with consequences and crises after the violence which led to several deaths and ousting of the government. The tournament is set to take place from October 3 to 20 this year. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to decide on an alternative venue for the tournament, with the UAE being considered as a favourite.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently declined a request for the tournament to be hosted in India. Other names being considered among options are Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Speaking as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, Healy said that she finds it hard to see a cricket tournament going on and “taking resources away from a country that is struggling”.

“I find it hard to see a cricket event going on over there at the moment and taking resources away from a country that is struggling. They are needing everyone they can get in there helping people that are dying,” said Healy.

“I would find it hard to fathom playing there at the moment, as a human being, I feel like it might be the wrong thing to do. But I will leave it to the ICC to work out,” she added.

Speaking on Sunday, all-rounder Sophie Molineux also said that players are being kept in the loop regarding the hosting of the competition.

“We have been [in] chats with Cricket Australia and they are doing a lot of work with the ICC, and we have got full faith that they will come up with the right decision for everyone,” said Sophie.

Australia will be naming its squad next Monday. They had defeated South Africa in their territory in the final by 19 runs to secure their sixth title.

Recently, Bangladesh witnessed several incidents of violence and chaos, especially targeting minorities, including Hindus after Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee Bangladesh after student protests turned into a massive anti-government movement. She arrived in India on August 5 at a short notice.

An interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, was sworn in on August 8.

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With Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ruling out India hosting the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a potential host for the tournament. At the same time, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has asked for more time to save the tournament from being moved out of the country. In May this year, the ICC had unveiled the schedule of Women’s T20 World Cup to be hosted by Bangladesh from October 3-20, with warm-up matches scheduled to begin from September 27.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is believed to be looking at Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the options for hosting the tournament, though the BCB has sought more time. It added the ICC is expected to make a decision likely on August 20, when an online meeting of the directors is scheduled, though the agenda is different.

“A BCB official said on Thursday that it has requested the ICC for five more days before making a call. If the ICC grants the extra time, then it would have to decide on August 20, the day of the board meeting. It is understood that the ICC was originally expected to take the call on the Women’s World Cup by August 15,” said the report.

With Shah’s statement ruling out India as an alternative venue, the report also said BCB requesting for extra time is because they are confident of coming up with a plan that will meet the ICC’s requirements to host the tournament.

“The ICC is seeking a host country with a time zone similar to that of Bangladesh and clear weather conditions, and UAE fits that criteria well. Besides, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) boasts world-class infrastructure.

“And more importantly, the ECB is believed to be keen on hosting the event. It is understood that Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are also interested. With just about 50 days remaining for the start of the tournament, time is running out,” added the report.

The report further said the agenda for the August 20 meeting by the ICC is believed to be finalizing the terms of reference for an inquiry into the delivery of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, from June 1-29.

At the ICC Annual Conference in Colombo last month, cricket’s global governing body formed a panel comprising three directors – Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo, and Imran Khwaja – to report on this matter. “The meeting has been mainly called to address this issue but a decision on the Women’s World Cup cannot be ruled out,” concluded the report.

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