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KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Wednesday announced the match schedule and unveiled the event logo of the ICC World Twenty20 2012, which will be staged in Sri Lanka from September 18 to October 7.
Reigning champion England will start its title defence at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo exactly one year from today, on September 21, against one of the two qualifiers for the tournament.
Stuart Broad's side will complete its opening group commitments two days later against 2007 champion India at the same venue.
Australia, chasing the one global trophy to have eluded them, will go head-to-head with the other qualifier in Colombo on September 19, part of a double-header that also features India and a qualifier.
Sri Lanka, which lost to England in the semi-final of last year's tournament in the West Indies, will open its campaign against Zimbabwe under lights in Hambantota on the first day of the tournament September 18 before taking on South Africa at the same venue on September 22.
If Sri Lanka reaches the Super Eight, it will then go on to play in Pallekele before moving to Colombo if it qualifies for the knock-out stage.
Pakistan, which won the 2009 tournament in England, has been grouped with New Zealand and Bangladesh, and will play its matches in Pallekele on September 23 and 25 respectively.
Pallekele will also host the New Zealand-Bangladesh match on September 21.
If everything goes according to pre-tournament seedings then Pakistan and India will lock horns in a Super Eight match in Colombo on September 30.
The group stages of the women's tournament will take place in Galle where host Sri Lanka will take on one of the tournament qualifiers on September 26, the first day of women's matches. On the same date, last year's losing finalist New Zealand will meet the West Indies.
Australia's women will start their push for back-to-back trophies against India on September 27, the same day which will see 2009 winner England launch its campaign against the other qualifier.
A total of 42 matches, including 27 men's and 15 women's matches, will be played over 20 days at four venues i.e R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pallekele, Hambantota and Galle, with R Premadasa Stadium hosting the finals on October 7.
