ICC announces World T20 schedule for next year

Reigning ICC World Twenty20 champions West Indies will launch their title defence against India in an evening match on March 23 in Bangladesh next year, according to the match schedules for the ICC World T20, to be held from March 16 to April 6 in 2014.

The format for next year's tournament, where as many as 35 tournament matches will be played across Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet, has been changed following an increase in teams from 12 to 16.

According to Sport24, as the teams' seeding are based on the new ICC T20I Team Rankings, the top eight sides following the conclusion of the 2012 ICC World T20 will play directly in the Super 10 stage, while Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, who finished outside the top eight, will participate in the first round that will be held in late March.

The report mentioned that the first round of the event will include eight sides that will be divided into two groups of four teams each, with the table-toppers progressing to the Super 10 stage.

West Indies will launch their title defence against India in an evening match on March 23, while on the same day, Pakistan will lock horns with Australia, who are looking for the only global title that has eluded them to date.

The report also said that the prize money for the event will be three million dollars, with the winner receiving 1.1 million dollars and the losing finalist collecting 55,0000 dollars.

Super 10 (S10) Groups (Based on teams' rankings on the ICC T20I Team Rankings as of October 8, 2012):

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