ICC Champions Trophy Match Schedule Confirmed
European Development Programme representatives, Holland, have been pooled with Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the first stage of the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka. 2003 World Cup host South Africa will play the West Indies in the opening match, when the teams meet in Colombo on Thursday, 12th September. Each of the 12 competing nations will play two games in the Pool stage of the tournament, between the 12th and 23rd September. The semi finals will take place on Wednesday 25th and Friday 27th, with the final scheduled for Sunday 29th September. The full match schedule announced by the ICC today, is as follows:
1 Thursday 12th September South Africa v West Indies
2 Friday 13th September Sri Lanka v Pakistan
3 Saturday 14th September India v Zimbabwe
4 Sunday 15th September Australia v New Zealand
5 Monday 16th September West Indies v Kenya
6 Tuesday 17th September Sri Lanka v Holland
7 Wednesday 18th September England v Zimbabwe
8 Thursday 19th September Australia v Bangladesh
9 Friday 20th September South Africa v Kenya
10 Saturday 21st September Pakistan v Holland
11 Sunday 22nd September England v India
12 Monday 23rd September New Zealand v Bangladesh
Tuesday 24th September REST DAY
13 Wednesday 25th September SEMI FINAL 1
Winner Pool 2 v Winner Pool 3
Thursday 26th September RESERVE DAY - SEMI FINAL 1
14 Friday 27th September SEMI FINAL 2
Winner Pool 1 v Winner Pool 4
Saturday 28th September RESERVE DAY - SEMI FINAL 2
15 Sunday 29th September FINAL
Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2
Monday 30th September RESERVE DAY - FINAL
Teams have been pooled into four groups and ranked on their final position in the 2000 ICC Knockout, held in Nairobi, Kenya, where New Zealand beat India in a thrilling final. The Champions Trophy Pool allocations are:
Pool 1
Australia
Bangladesh
New Zealand
Pool 2
England
India
Zimbabwe
Pool 3
Kenya
South Africa
West Indies
Pool 4
Holland
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Two venues in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo will be utilised for the tournament. These will be confirmed in the near future, together with a decision on the use of day/night matches.
