Men's T20 Cricket World Cup 2024: All you need to know about the 20-team tournament

The Cricketer breaks down everything you need to know about the competition: format, history, squads, odds, TV and streaming information and much, much more...

The Cricketer | 01/06/2024 at 15:38

What is the competition?

This is the ninth edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the third in the last four years. The 2024 tournament is being held across the West Indies and the United States. In another first, 20 nations will compete - with that number remaining in place for tournaments running to 2030.

When does it start?

Co-hosts United States kick off the competition against Canada on June 2. The first round group stage runs until June 17. For those that progress, the Super 8s begin from June 20, with the semi-finals held on June 26 and 27. The Barbados final is slated for June 29.

Where is it happening?

Matches are being staged across seven venues in the Caribbean and three in the USA, where a major ICC event is heading for the first time.

Those familiar with cricket in the West Indies will quickly identify the venues being used in Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Lucia, St Vincent and two in Trinidad and Tobago.

Meanwhile, 16 games will be held in Florida, New York and Texas, but those venues are only being used during the first round.

The entire Super 8s and the knock-out phase will be played exclusively in the Caribbean.

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^{Mitchell Marsh will captain the 2021 winners Australia (Getty Images)}

Who is taking part?

For the first time, 20 countries will grace a Men's T20 World Cup - arguably making it the first truly global tournament at the ninth time of asking.

Hosts and two-time champions West Indies, holders England, India, Australia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are the former winners seeking a repeat.

Perrenial bridesmaids New Zealand and South Africa, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and major tournament specialists Ireland complete the group of full members competing.

USA lead a list of three nations appearing for the first time, alongside Canada and Uganda.

Papua New Guinea and Nepal are returning for just their second appearance; Netherlands and Scotland are competing for the fifth and fourth occasion in a row, respectively, while Namibia are back after playing the 2021 and 2022 tournaments.

Completing the 20 are Oman, who are scheduled to make their third foray into a Men's T20 World Cup.

What is the tournament structure?

The tournament is structured into three distinct parts: The group stage; the Super 8s; and the last four.

Drawn into four groups of five, a single round-robin schedule will take place to determine who progresses. The top two from each group will go through to the second phase, with the remaining 12 being knocked out.

The groups are as follows:

Group A: Canada, India, Ireland, Pakistan, USA

Group B: Australia, England, Namibia, Oman, Scotland

Group C: Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Uganda, West Indies

Group D: Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, South Africa, Sri Lanka

Two groups of four will then decide the semi-final line-up. One side from each group will be placed into either Group 1 or 2 and will face each other once.

Once again, the top two will progress; the group winners facing the runners-up from the opposite group.

Should India navigate their way to the last four they will be placed in the Guyana semi-final.

The winners of both semi-finals (there is a reserve day for the second, not the first) will go into the final on June 29, which there is also a reserve day for.

Men's T20 World Cup 2024 team-by-team guides

Group A preview - Canada, India, Ireland, Pakistan, United States

Group B preview - Australia, England, Namibia, Oman, Scotland

Group C preview - Afghanistan, New Zealand, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, West Indies

Group D preview - Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, South Africa, Sri Lanka

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^{Can anyone stop England from defending their title (Getty Images)}

What is the format?

The World Cup will follow the format of T20 internationals. Teams will bat for a maximum of 20 overs each and the highest score wins. In the group stages, sides must have batted for at least five overs to constitute a game and that shifts to 10 for the semi-finals and final.

Bowlers will be permitted to deliver no more than four overs each across an innings. No balls will be punishable with a penalty run and a free hit, for which a captain cannot change the field and batters cannot be dismissed (other than by being run-out).

Each batting innings will begin with a powerplay period (six overs in length during full innings, but adapted for reduced games) when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner 30-yard circle.

Teams will be permitted two unsuccessful reviews via the Decision Review System (DRS) per innings.

Duckworth/Lewis/Stern will be used to deliver results in the event of a reduced or curtailed game caused by inclement weather. In the event of a tied match, unlimited Super Overs will be played until a winner emerges.

If both days set aside for the final are washed out, the trophy will be shared between the finalists.

What is the history of the tournament?

The eight previous editions of the Men's T20 World Cup have delivered six different winners and just two repeat champions.

Notably, no nation has won the trophy in their own country. And the last occasion it was held in the Caribbean, an England team captained by Paul Collingwood prevailed, beating Australia in the final.

Of sides to appear in more than one edition, India have the best win percentage at 63.9 per cent, followed by Australia (62.50) and Sri Lanka (61.76)

For those willing England to real off success titles, a word of warning: no side has ever gone back-to-back.

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^{India will start the competition as favourites (Getty Images)}

Who are the favourites?

India, top of the ICC rankings, will start the tournament as favourites with most bookmakers at 5/2.

Australia are next at 7/2, with defending champions England available at 9/2.

Hosts West Indies are available at 6/1 while South Africa, yet to open their account, can be backed at 7/1.

New Zealand, beaten finalists in 2021 are at 9/1 alongside Pakistan. The outsiders begin with Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh (starting at 33/1).

At the opposite end of the scale, debutants Uganda and Canada can both be backed at 2,500/1.