KARACHI: The prelude to the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand starts in earnest from Sunday when tournament’s co-hosts Australia take on reigning champions India in the opening warm-up fixture at the picturesque Adelaide Oval in the South Australia capital of Adelaide.

That game along with England-West Indies tie in Sydney on Monday, India-Afghanistan match in Adelaide on Tuesday and Pakistan’s clash with England in Sydney on Wednesday will be telecast live.

Pakistan will play the first of their two warm-up fixtures against Bangladesh at the Blacktown Olympic Park Oval in Sydney.

India, it is clear, have got preferential treatment from the tournament organisers as their both practice games have been scheduled at the Adelaide Oval where they open the defence of their title against arch-rivals Pakistan next Sunday (Feb 15).

It may be added that India have been in Australia since late November and played four Tests against the hosts as well as competed in a triangular series last month that also involved England.

Warm-up match schedule:

Feb 8: *Australia vs India at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (match starts at 8:30am PST). Umpires: Nigel Llong and Chris Gaffaney; TV umpire: Marais Erasmus; reserve umpire: Simon Fry.

Feb 9: New Zealand vs Zimbabwe at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln (match starts at 3:00am PST). Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Ruchira Palliyaguruge; reserve umpire: Ranmore Martinesz.

Feb 9: South Africa vs Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval, Christchurch (match starts at 3:00am PST). Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Sundaram Ravi; reserve umpire: Rod Tucker.

Feb 9: *England vs West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (match starts at 8:30am PST) Umpires: Aleem Dar and Paul Reiffel; TV umpire: Steve Davis; reserve umpire: Johan Cloete.

Feb 9: Pakistan vs Bangladesh at Blacktown Olympic Park Oval, Sydney (match starts at 8:30am PST) Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena and Joel Wilson; reserve umpire: Billy Bowden.

Feb 10: *India vs Afghanistan at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (match starts at 8:30am PST). Umpires: Marais Erasmus and Simon Fry; TV umpire: Nigel Llong; reserve umpire: Chris Gaffaney.

Feb 10: Ireland vs Scotland at Blacktown Olympic Park Oval, Sydney (match starts at 8:30am PST). Umpires: Aleem Dar and Joel Wilson; reserve umpire: Kumar Dharmasena.

Feb 11: New Zealand vs South Africa at Hagley Oval, Christchurch (match starts at 3:00am PST) Umpires: Rod Tucker and Ranmore Martinesz; reserve umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge.

Feb 11: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln (match starts at 3:00am PST) Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Bruce Oxenford; reserve umpire: Sundaram Ravi.

Feb 11: Australia vs United Arab Emirates at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (match starts at 8:30am PST) Umpires: Ian Gould and Richard Kettleborough; reserve umpire: Michael Gough.

Feb 11: *England vs Pakistan at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (match starts at 8:30am PST). Umpires: Steve Davis and Billy Bowden; TV umpire: Johan Cloete; reserve umpire: Paul Reiffel.

Feb 12: West Indies vs Scotland at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (match starts at 4:00am PST). Umpires: Johan Cloete ad Paul Reiffel; reserve umpire: Aleem Dar.

Feb 12: Bangladesh vs Ireland at Blacktown Olympic Park Oval, Sydney (match starts at 4:00am PST) Umpires: Billy Bowden and Kumar Dharmasena; reserve umpire: Joel Wilson.

Feb 13: Afghanistan vs United Arab Emirates at Junction Oval, Melbourne (match starts at 4:00am PST). Umpires: Ian Gould and Michael Gough; reserve umpire: Richard Kettleborough.

Note: *denotes televised matches.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2015

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