World Twenty20 Groups set for England 2009

[cricman]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/317843.html

Groupings for World Twenty20 2009 fixed

Cricinfo staff

October 31, 2007

The ICC has fixed the groups for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 and, given that not enough matches have been played in this new format to establish official rankings, has gone by the finishing positions in the 2007 tournament.

India, winners of the inaugural championship, are grouped with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Australia have the toughest group - on paper - with Sri Lanka and West Indies completing the threesome.

The ICC board, which met in Dubai on Wednesday, had discussed the groupings following a request by the England and Wales Cricket Board for early determination to proceed with the venue-event bidding process, which in turn would allow match tickets to go on sale at the earliest.

The groups (with 2007 finishing positions in brackets):

Group A
India (1)
Bangladesh (8)
Zimbabwe (9)


Group B
Pakistan (2)
England (7)
Associate 1 (10)


Group C
Australia (3)
Sri Lanka (6)
West Indies (11)


Group D
New Zealand (4)
South Africa (5)
Associate 2 (12)

Could it be possible that the Aussies won't make it out of the group stages?

 

[honestbharani]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/317843.html



Could it be possible that the Aussies won't make it out of the group stages?

I don't think so.


I think they would have adjusted to the format by then and even if they won't be as good as they have been in ODIs and tests relative to the other teams, they will still be a very very strong side and perhaps the favourites going into that tourney.


And India, being in the easiest group, I expect them to bow out in the semis most probably...

 

[Manee]

Lol, India with a nice easy group and Australia with the toughest

 

[andruid]

Lol, India with a nice easy group and Australia with the toughest

You've got the Zims and they are capable of the near impossible in T20 just ask any Aussie

 

[Shaggy Alfresco]

Any associate nation is going to fancy their chances against Pakistan and England.

 

[Manee]

You've got the Zims and they are capable of the near impossible in T20 just ask any Aussie

Aussies were substanderd in that match, Zimbabwe were not brilliant.

 

[pup11]

Isn't it a bit too early to announce which teams are in which group i mean how can they rank teams just on the basis of the T20 world championship, ICC has made it mandatory for every team to play atleast 7 T20 games in a calendar year so they should have implemented a ranking system for T20 cricket and then they should have announced the groups of every team 4 or 5 months prior to the tournament on the basis of their rankings on the T20 ranking table.

 

[Manee]

This is a sign from the ICC as they see the Twenty20 World Championship as the only 'real' competition and that the 7 a year are merely exibition matches for the crowds.

At least, that is how I interpret the early announcement of the groups.

 

[andruid]

Isn't it a bit too early to announce which teams are in which group i mean how can they rank teams just on the basis of the T20 world championship, ICC has made it mandatory for every team to play atleast 7 T20 games in a calendar year so they should have implemented a ranking system for T20 cricket and then they should have announced the groups of every team 4 or 5 months prior to the tournament on the basis of their rankings on the T20 ranking table.

Well The ICC did almost the exact same thing for the 2007 50 over WC by realeasing the groups almost as soon as the ICC trophy was finished in 2005 and look what happenned. They don't seem to be the best at changing things.

 

[Poker Boy]

I agree its far too early to make the draw. Australia might vhave the "Group of Death" if WI have sorted themselves out by then. The most pleasant surprise IMO is that the ICC have kept it at 12 teams - ICC being ICC I was expected it to be 14 or 16 but nice to see the ICC being sensible for once (I don't EVER expect to write this again)

 

[BoyBrumby]

How is it being decided which associates qualify this time? Is there going to be some associate 20/20 shindig?

 

[sideshowtim]

This seeding seems fair enough to me. As winners of the last tournament, India deserve an 'easier' path through so to speak...Even though Australia's group is pretty tough I'm confident we can make it through.

 

[Kriketer]

Isn't it a bit too early to announce which teams are in which group i mean how can they rank teams just on the basis of the T20 world championship, ICC has made it mandatory for every team to play atleast 7 T20 games in a calendar year so they should have implemented a ranking system for T20 cricket and then they should have announced the groups of every team 4 or 5 months prior to the tournament on the basis of their rankings on the T20 ranking table.

Good point. Even I was wondering about that.

 

[sideshowtim]

Isn't it a bit too early to announce which teams are in which group i mean how can they rank teams just on the basis of the T20 world championship, ICC has made it mandatory for every team to play atleast 7 T20 games in a calendar year so they should have implemented a ranking system for T20 cricket and then they should have announced the groups of every team 4 or 5 months prior to the tournament on the basis of their rankings on the T20 ranking table.

Mandatory 7 a year? I believe that's a maximum of 7 a year.

 

[honestbharani]

Mandatory 7 a year? I believe that's a maximum of 7 a year.

plus, I think this is being done so that the ECB can decide venues on this basis and try to eek the maximum possible ticket revenue from this. Also, helps for the fans to plan their trips, doesn't it?

 

[NUFAN]

How could associate 1 be ranked higher then the Windies? lol..

 

[Magrat Garlick]

How is it being decided which associates qualify this time? Is there going to be some associate 20/20 shindig?

Not said.

However, given there's a global 50-over tournament set for April 2009, I'd not be surprised if the finalists there qualified for the World Twenty20.

 

[Neil Pickup]

How could associate 1 be ranked higher then the Windies? lol..

Last time around, Associate 1 (Scotland) got more points than the WI.

Admittedly, that was because it rained.

 

[NUFAN]

Last time around, Associate 1 (Scotland) got more points than the WI.

Admittedly, that was because it rained.

Yeah but surely since Associate 1 may not be Scotland that it would be better having West Indies ranked above them.

I won't lose sleep over it though, it wouldn't bother me if the 3 highest ranked teams were int he same group.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Yeah but surely since Associate 1 may not be Scotland that it would be better having West Indies ranked above them.

I won't lose sleep over it though, it wouldn't bother me if the 3 highest ranked teams were int he same group.

Associate 1 will only not be Scotland if someone displaces them as the best Associate, and therefore will be better than Scotland. That's probably the ICC reasoning on it, at least.