No India-Pakistan match in group stage of ICC T20 World Cup

01/29/2019

India and Pakistan will not face each other in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup after the two teams will be placed in different groups for the tournament due to their current T20 rankings. Pakistan are the top-ranked T20I team at the moment while India follow their neighbors in the number two spot.

It will be strange to not see India and Pakistan go head to head in an international ICC event. This will be the first time since the 2011 World Cup that the two teams will not face each other as they competed against each other in five ICC tournaments since 201. The two neighboring countries will meet again in the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales. However, one of the most popular cricketing rivalries will not be seen in the group stage of 2020 T20 World Cup, which will be held in Australia.

As per the present T20I rankings, Pakistan are the top ranked team while India occupy the number two spot in the ICC team rankings. If things continue to stand the way they are, the two teams will be required to be placed in different groups for the international tournament.

One of cricket’s other biggest rivalries, England and Australia, are also not guaranteed to meet each other either. While England are placed in Group B alongside India, Australia are in Group A alongside Pakistan.

The Pakistani cricket team will open the Super 12s against hosts Australia at the SCG on a double-header Saturday on October 24, while Virat Kohli & Co. take on South Africa at the new Perth Stadium in the second match of the day. Defending champions West Indies will open their campaign against New Zealand at the MCG the next day. The SCG and the Adelaide Oval will play host the semis on November 11 and 12 respectively, while the final is slated to be held at the MCG on November 15.

The Groups

Group A: Pakistan, Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2

Group B: India, England, South Africa, Afghanistan, Qualifier 3, Qualifier 4