How the groups were made ?

Numbers in the brackets indicate rankings of previous year..


Group A            Group B                 Group C                Group D
India (1)            Pakistan (2)          Australia (3)            New Zealand (4)
Bangladesh (8)  England (7)           Sri Lanka (6)           South Africa (5)
Ireland (9)         Netherlands (10)   West Indies (11)     Scotland (12) 

The teams in the Super Eight will be designated as A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 C2, D1, D2 depending on which group they qualified from. If the top two seeds from a group qualify, they will be seeded 1 and 2 respectively for the Super Eight regardless of which team actually finished first and second in a group during the first round. 

For example, if Bangladesh are first and India are second in Group A, Bangladesh will still be A2 while India will remain A1 for the Super Eight because India were seeded 1 while Bangladesh were 8. However, if the third seeded team in the group knocks out a higher seed, it will take the place of the knocked-out opponent. For example, if Bangladesh and Ireland qualify from Group A, then Ireland will be A1 for the Super Eight stage. If India and Ireland qualify, then Ireland will be A2. 

During the Super Eight, the teams will be split into two groups of four - A1, B2, C1 and D2 are in the first group, while A2, B1, C2 and D1 are in the second. Each team will play the others in its pool with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi-finals.

•  If two teams in a group have equal points at the end of the super8, the one with more wins will be placed higher.
• If they have equal points and the same number of wins, then the team with the higher NRR will be ranked higher. 
• Should net run-rate also fail to separate the sides, then the one with the higher number of wickets taken per balls bowled in the stage will be preferred.
• And if the teams remain in a deadlock, then the winner of the group match between the sides will prevail. 
• If all of the aforementioned tie-breakers fail, the teams will be separated by drawing lots.

T20 world cup in SA- a review

Unprofessional Pakistan

Pakistan are worried with the presence of former spinner Mushtaq Ahmed in England's camp for the ICC World T20. Pakistan take on England in their opening clash on Sunday. The England team management has specially recruited the services of Mushtaq as bowling consultant for the English summer that includes the World Cup and the Ashes series.

England requested Sussex to release Mushtaq for the season to help out the English bowlers in the summer.
Sources in the Pakistan team said coach Intikhab Alam and some of the players are worried as Mushtaq might prove to be a big help to England team in the coming match.

"Obviously he knows Pakistan cricket and the players inside out and if he decides to help England prepare for the match it would make things difficult for us," a source in the team said.

"Don't let the secrets out, mate"
Mushtaq, who played 52 Tests and 144 ODIs, had a successful career with Sussex with plenty of Twenty20 experience, having played 29 matches of the shortest form of the game. The 38-year-old spinner was present in the English dressing room with chief coach Andy Flower during the warm up match against Scotland. Sources said Mushtaq's tips and advice to the English batsmen on how to tackle the Pakistani spinners,  Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal in particular could prove to be decisive in the opening match. "Don't forget Mushie has also worked as assistant coach and bowling coach with the Pakistan team when Inzamam-ul-Haq was captain so he has a fair rundown on the present bunch of players," one source said. Pakistan play one more warm up match against India today before playing the World Cup opener at the Oval against the home side which are looking to do well in T20 cricket under their new coaching staff.

This is pathetic.. Mushtaq is a coach by profession and consultant for English National cricket team, so its his job to advice the players on how to tackle OPPOSITIONS; I don't see any reason why pakistan has to be spared.. As far as England is concerned, Pakistan is yet another opponent and they would like to win against them too.. And Mushtaq, if professional, has to give away a few secrets to help his current team win.. Its really unprofessional for that SOURCE within the team to make such a statement that "IF Mushtaq decides to help................" ... 

Well, isn't Mushie paid to do exactly that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'Catch the Spirit' match

ICC designates India v Pakistan warm-up game as 'Catch the Spirit' match

Proceeds to go to education fund to support families of the victims of Lahore terror attack and Peace and Sport community projects across the Asian subcontinent. Cricket stakeholders will be encouraged to support the cause. 
 
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced that the ICC World Twenty20 2009 warm-up encounter between India and Pakistan at The Oval on 3 June had been designated as a ‘Catch the Spirit’ match. Funds raised through a variety of means during the game will go to support the families of the victims of the attack on the Sri Lanka team and match officials in Lahore in March, as well as Peace and Sport projects across the Asian subcontinent.

Commenting on the initiative, ICC President David Morgan said: “The decision to designate the India – Pakistan encounter as a ‘Catch the Spirit’ match follows a recommendation by the ICC Board at its most recent meeting, in Dubai in April. “The Board wanted to do something to assist the families of the victims of the terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team and match officials in March, and using this high-profile match with a sell-out crowd as a vehicle to do that makes excellent sense.

“‘Catch the Spirit’ is one of the themes of the ICC’s ongoing centenary year of 2009 and it highlights the respect with which the game is played around the world. “We are extremely grateful to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the hosts, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Surrey County Cricket Club, for allowing the match to take place under this banner.
“And we are also grateful to ESPN STAR Sports, the ICC’s global broadcast partner, which is covering the match, for providing an excellent vehicle for the fund-raising efforts.

“We hope this match, watched by millions both at the ground and around the world will portray cricket in a positive light, make a positive contribution to the lives of those affected by those terrible events in March and contribute to assisting community-based projects across the Asian subcontinent that promote peace through cricket.”

Fund-raising methods on the day will include requests for contributions from spectators inside the ground, donations from appeals via broadcast and internet coverage of the match and contributions from cricket stakeholders and other parties.

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