2022 T20 WC: India to play Pakistan on October 23

Australia to open T20 World Cup defence against New Zealand.

In a blockbuster T20 World Cup opener for India, the team was on Friday drawn to clash with arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the iconic MCG as the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the fixtures.

India had lost to Pakistan for the first time in an ICC tournament when the teams clashed in last year's T20 World Cup in Dubai.

India's second Super 12 match in Group 2 will be on October 27 in Sydney against a qualifier (runner up of Group A) and will be followed by matches against South Africa (October 30 in Perth) and Bangladesh (Adelaide Oval on November 2).

The Men in Blue's last Super 12 match is scheduled for November 6 against the winners of Group B at the MCG.

Australia will begin the defence of their Twenty20 World Cup title against New Zealand in Sydney on October 22 in a re-run of last year's final.

The Australians will be hosting the tournament, which begins on October 16 and runs until November 13, for the first time.

The hosts have been drawn in Group 1 of the Super 12 phase of the competition alongside New Zealand, who they defeated in Dubai in November, as well as England, Afghanistan, the winners of Group A and runners up in Group B from the first round.

Group 2 will feature India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh plus the Group B winners and Group A runners-up.

Sixteen nations will compete in the tournament, which will be played in Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

Sri Lanka and Namibia will face off in the first-round tournament opener in Geelong on October 16 in Group A, where they will be joined by two qualifiers.

Group B will feature the West Indies, Scotland and a further two qualifiers.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 12 stage.

The semi-finals will be played at the SCG and Adelaide Oval on November 9 and 10, respectively. It will be the first time the Adelaide Oval will host a World Cup semi-final.

The final will be played under lights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 13.