COLOMBO, Sept 21: Defending champions England and India have been placed in the same preliminary group for next year’s World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka, the sport’s governing body said on Wednesday.

A yet-to-be determined qualifier will be the third team in Group ‘A’, the International Cricket Council announced at the tournament launch in Colombo.

Australia, West Indies and a qualifier are drawn in Group ‘B’, hosts Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zimbabwe in Group ‘C’ and Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh in Group ‘D’.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Eights round, which will also be contested in two pools. The first two in each pool will advance to the semi-finals.

The two-yearly tournament in cricket’s shortest format will be played from Sept 18 to Oct 7, with Hambantota holding three matches, Pallekele nine and capital Colombo 15.The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will hold the semi-finals on Oct 4 and 5 and the final on Oct 7.

The two qualifiers will be determined through a separate competition between non-Test nations to be held in the United Arab Emirates from March 13 to 24.

The eight-nation women’s tournament will run from Sept 26 to Oct 7 with the league matches in Galle, and the semi-finals and final in Colombo on the same days and at the same venue as the men’s knock-out matches.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat was confident the tournament will be as successful as the three previous editions in South Africa (2007), England (2009) and the West Indies (2010).

“The ICC World Twenty20 is now a marquee event in Twenty20 cricket where nations face each other for the most coveted title in the shortest format of the game,” Lorgat said.

“Nothing beats nation-versus-nation contests and when these battles take place in the newest, sharpest and quickest form of the game, you can feel the excitement in fans.

“Following the legacies and success of the World Cup, I am confident that Sri Lanka will deliver another world-class event.”

Lorgat said it was significant the men’s and women’s knock-out games will be played on the same dates at one venue.

Groups and schedules: Men’s event: Preliminary league:

Group ‘A’: England, India, Qualifier 2.

Group ‘B’: Australia, West Indies, Qualifier 1.

Group ‘C’: Sri Lanka, South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Group ‘D’: Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh.

Sept 18: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe (Hambantota).

Sept 19: Australia v Q1 (RPS, Colombo); India v Q2 (RPS, Colombo).

Sept 20: South Africa v Zimbabwe (Hambantota).

Sept 21: New Zealand v Bangladesh (Pallekele); England v Q2 (RPS, Colombo).

Sept 22: Sri Lanka v South Africa (Hambantota); Australia v West Indies (RPS, Colombo).

Sept 23: Pakistan v New Zealand (Pallekele); England v India (RPS, Colombo).

Sept 24: West Indies v Q1 (Colombo).

Sept 25: Pakistan v Bangladesh (Pallekele).

Super-Eights:

Group one: A1, B2, C1, D2.

Group two: A2, B1, C2, D1.

Sept 27: C1 v D2 (Pallekele); A1 v B2 (Pallekele).

Sept 28: D1 v C2 (Colombo); B1 v A2 (Colombo).

Sept 29: A1 v D2 (Pallekele); C1 v B2 (Pallekele).

Sept 30: B1 v C2 (Colombo); D1 v A2 (Colombo).

Oct 1: B2 v D2 (Pallekele); A1 v C1 (Pallekele).

Oct 2: B1 v D1 (Colombo); A2 v C2 (Colombo).

Semi-finals:

Oct 4: Group one winners v Group two runners-up (Colombo).

Oct 5: Group one runners-up v Group two champions (Colombo).

Final: Oct 7 (Colombo). Women’s event:

Preliminary league (all matches in Galle):

Group A: Australia, India, England, Qualifier 1.

Group B: New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Qualifier 2.

Sept 26: Sri Lanka v Q2; New Zealand v West Indies.

Sept 27: England v Q1; Australia v India.

Sept 28: New Zealand v Q2; West Indies v Sri Lanka.

Sept 29: Australia v Q1; India v England.

Sept 30: West Indies v Q2; Sri Lanka v New Zealand.

Oct 1    : India v Q1; Australia v England.

Semi-finals: Oct 4: A1 v B2 (Colombo).

Oct 5: A2 v B1 (Colombo).

Final: Oct 7 (Colombo).—AFP