Indian women to face hosts Australia in 2020 ICC T20 World Cup opener

The Indian women's cricket team will kickstart their campaign at the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 against hosts and defending champions Australia on February 21 at the Sydney Showground Stadium . 

While India have been drawn alongside Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Qualifier 1 in Group A, the Women in Blue's arch-rivals Pakistan are placed alongwith England, West Indies, South Africa and Qualifier 2 in Group B. 

According to the fixtures released by the ICC on Tuesday, the clash between India and Australia will mark the beginning of the women's T20 World Cup 2020 before the Women in Blue will travel to Perth to take on a yet-to-be-decided qualifier on February 24.

Meanwhile, top-ranked England will begin their campaign against South Africa on February 23 at the WACA, Perth.

For the first time, the women’s and men’s T20 World Cups will be held as standalone events in the same year and in the same country.

The eight top-ranked women's teams based on finishing positions from the World T20 2018 in the West Indies have automatically qualified, with the remaining two places to be determined through a qualifying tournament which is to be held later in 2019.

The tournament will see the top 10 women’s teams contesting in a total of 23 matches from February 21 to March 8, 2020

The semi-finals of the showpiece event will take place on March 5 at the SCG while the summit showdown is scheduled to be held at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 8. 

Here is the complete schedule of the Women's T20 World Cup 2020:

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, Qualifier 1

Group B: England, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan, Qualifier 2

SCHEDULE

February 21, 2020

Australia v India, Spotless Stadium, Sydney

February 22, 2020

Windies v Qualifier 2, WACA, Perth

New Zealand v Sri Lanka, WACA, Perth

February 23, 2020

England v South Africa, WACA Perth

February 24, 2020

 Australia v Sri Lanka, WACA Perth

 India v Qualifier 1, WACA Perth 

February 26, 2020 

England v Qualifier 2, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Windies v Pakistan, Manuka Oval, Canberra

February 27, 2020

India v New Zealand, Junction Oval, Melbourne

 Australia v Qualifier 1, Manuka Oval, Canberra

February 28, 2020

 South Africa v Qualifier 2, Manuka Oval, Canberra

 England v Pakistan, Manuka Oval, Canberra

February 29, 2020

India v Sri Lanka, Junction Oval, Melbourne 

South Africa v Pakistan, Spotless Stadium, Sydney

March 1, 2020

South Africa v Pakistan, Spotless Stadium, Sydney

 England v Windies, Spotless Stadium, Sydney

March 2, 2020

Sri Lanka v Qualifier 1, Junction Oval, Melbourne

Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval, Melbourne

March 3, 2020

 Pakistan v Qualifier 2, Spotless Stadium, Sydney

 Windies v South Africa, Spotless Stadium, Sydney

March 5, 2020

Semifinal 1, SCG

Semifinal 2, SCG

March 8, 2020

Final, MCG, Melbourne.