At least there’s no boundary countbacks
After the completion of the qualifiers to decide the final four places, the T20 World Cup proper finally starts this weekend, when cricket powers Australia and South Africa meet in Abu Dhabi.
To say the road to tonight’s tournament opener has been difficult would be a monumental understatement.
The UAE and Oman were only chosen as co-hosts four months ago, when it became clear that Covidravaged India would not be able to safely stage the global showpiece.
And that was after original hosts Australia bailed when the pandemic forced organisers to delay the 2020 edition for 12 months.
So how does the tournament work, where will the matches be played, and what are the Black Caps’ chances of lifting the trophy at Dubai International Stadium on November 15?
Stuff answers all those questions and more in a handy guide to the shortest format’s premier event.
What’s the competition format?
This year’s competition is split into two rounds. The first saw Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Scotland and one other team (to be determined today NZT) qualify for the second stage after finishing in the top two places in their respective four-team groups.
The second round, known as the Super 12, sees the world’s eight topranked T20 sides enter the fray and is again divided into two groups.
Group 1 features England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh and TBC. The Black Caps are in Group 2 alongside India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Scotland and TBC. Each team will play the other five in their group once, with the top two from both sections going through to the semifinals on November 11 and November 12 (NZT). The final will be held in Dubai on November 15.
What is the Black Caps’ schedule?
New Zealand open their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan in Sharjah on October 27, before taking on India in Dubai on November 1. They then meet newcomers Scotland at the same venue on November 3, returning to Sharjah two days later for a clash with an as yet unknown opponent. Gary Stead’s men complete their Super 12 fixtures against Afghanistan on November 7 at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
How does the points system work?
Teams get two points for a win, one for a draw, a no result or an abandonment, and zero for a loss.
Should two or more teams finish on the same points, the deadlock will be broken first by number of wins, then net run rate. If that still doesn’t separate them, their head-to-head result comes into play, followed by their seeding.
If a match is tied, a Super Over will decide the outcome. If that is also tied, then the two teams will keep playing Super Overs until a winner is found. So Kiwi cricket fans needn’t worry about boundary countbacks this time.
If weather or time constraints prevent a Super Over from taking place, the match will be declared a tie.
Will DRS be available?
Yes. For the first time in the tournament’s 14-year history, each team will be get a maximum of two reviews per innings.
Are there any reserve days in the event of bad weather?
Only for the semifinals and final. If group stage matches are rained off, each team will be awarded a point.
In shortened games, a minimum of five overs will have to be bowled in each innings for the result to be decided by the DLS method. For the semifinals and the decider, that increases to 10 overs.
Who are the current holders?
West Indies are the defending champions after capturing their second T20 world title with a dramatic four-wicket win over England in Kolkata.
Needing an improbable 19 off the last over, Carlos Brathwaite smacked four consecutive sixes off the bowling of New Zealand-born allrounder Ben Stokes to trigger wild celebrations among his team-mates at Eden Gardens.
Brathwaite won’t get the chance to repeat his heroics from 51⁄2 years ago though, having been left out of their 15-man squad. Since the inaugural tournament in 2007 won by India, Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka have also tasted glory.
How much will the winners pocket?
A decent wedge. The champions take home US$1.6 million (NZ$2.24 million), the runners-up get US$800,000 (NZ$1.1 million) and the semifinalists will earn US$400,000 (NZ$559,000) apiece.
Where will the matches be played and are fans allowed?
Spectators are allowed to attend matches, but the stadiums will be operating at a reduced capacity due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The three UAE venues in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah will be up to 70 per cent full, while in Oman 3000 fans will be allowed into the Al Amerat Stadium in Muscat.
Who are the players to watch?
All eyes will be on Indian superstar Virat Kohli, who is relinquishing the captaincy after the tournament. At his best, Kohli is a destructive batter capable of turning a game in an instant. He will be desperate to lead his country to glory after losing the World Test Championship final to New Zealand.
From a Black Caps perspective, tweaker Ish Sodhi will be crucial to their hopes of going deep into the tournament on the spin-friendly surfaces in the UAE and Oman.