Rohit Sharma-led Team India will play a warm-up match against Bangladesh right ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. ESPNCricinfo reported that India and Bangladesh will play a practice match on June 1 at the Eisenhower Park in New York (United States).
Meanwhile, Bangladesh team will be arriving in the United States well ahead of the T20 World Cup. In preparation for the tournament, they'll be facing the US team in a three-match warm-up series. The series kicks off on May 21. The venue for these encounters will be Prairie View Cricket Complex in Houston.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the ICC and Cricket West Indies (co-hosts) offered the Indian team warm-up matches in two separate US cities – New York and Florida. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly requested both matches to be held in New York to avoid player fatigue due to travel between cities. This request comes as the IPL concludes on May 26, and Indian players will be departing for the USA in two batches.
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Team India will travel to New York for the upcoming T20 World Cup in two batches. This approach ensures players can balance their IPL commitments with World Cup preparation. Players who won't be competing in the IPL 2024 final will get a head start on their T20 World Cup preparations. This first group will depart for New York on May 25 while the other batch will leave at 28 after wrapping up the IPL 2024 final on May 26.
India's League Matches in New York:
India's quest for their second T20 World Cup title continues as they last lifted the coveted trophy in the inaugural season in 2007. Notably, Team India have been placed in Group A with USA, Canada, Pakistan and Ireland. But all eyes will be on the high-profile India versus Pakistan's clash on June 9. India's campaign will kick off on June 5 against Ireland, followed by the much-anticipated Pakistan encounter. Their remaining group-stage matches are against the USA on June 12 and Canada on June 15. Interestingly, the first three games will be played in New York, with the final group stage clash happening in Lauderhill.
Following their final league match in New York against Canada on June 15, the team will head to the West Indies for the Super 8 stage of the tournament.
No reserve day for second semifinal
Meanwhile, on May 15, ICC, along with the co-host West Indies, has reportedly made a crucial decision regarding the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup. There won't be a reserve day for the second semifinal, opting instead for an extended playtime of 250 minutes (4 hours and 10 minutes). This additional time will be used to force a result on the scheduled day if rain disrupts the match.
Bangladesh's T20 World Cup Squad
Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Travelling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud
India's T20 World Cup squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan
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