100-day countdown to the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 begins
DHAKA, Dec. 7 (nsnewswire) — The International Cricket Council (ICC), together with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), celebrated the 100-day countdown to the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 in the three host cities.
The countdown clock was unveiled on Thursday evening amid much fanfare, confetti and fireworks at South Plaza Gate, National Parliament House, Dhaka; Chittagong’s Circuit House Circle, M.A. Aziz Stadium and Sylhet’s Keane Bridge (Surma River).
Concerts at the three venues wowed the audiences, and present at the sites were Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan (in Dhaka), and BCB Directors AZM Nasir and Shafiul Alam Chowdhury (in Chittagong and Sylhet, respectively). Also attending the celebrations at different venues were Bangladesh men’s team members Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Anamul Haque and women’s team captain Salma Khatun and her teammates Ayesha Rahman and Jahanara Ahmed.
The men’s event will include ICC’s 10 Full Members and, for the first time, six ICC Associate members (Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Nepal, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates), who qualified through the recently concluded ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2013.
The first round matches will start on 16 March with the opener between Bangladesh and Afghanistan while India and Pakistan will feature in the first match of the Super 10 stage on 21 March. The semi-finals will be played on 3 and 4 April and the final will be staged on 6 April.
The women’s event will feature 10 teams and Australia will attempt to complete a hat-trick of titles. The first round matches to take place in Sylhet from 23 March to 2 April. The top two sides from each group will progress to the semi-finals. As in the past, the women’s semi-finals and final will be held on the same day as the men’s semi-finals and final, and at the same venue.
The ICC tour and travel website (www.icctravel.net) features the details of all forthcoming ICC events and will be updated regularly with the contact details for all official travel agents. For the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014, ICC Travel can create specially tailored packages upon request. Details of the officially licensed tour and travel partners can be found on this site.
Source: ICC