Daily Times

Australia have been denied the chance to play a maiden cricket match in the US, with all of their Twenty20 World Cup group games to be staged in the West Indies.

Organisers unveiled the schedule for this year’s historic T20 World Cup, which will be played in both the US and Caribbean islands, on Friday (Saturday AEDT).

Cricket’s largest ever international venture into the US will include 16 group matches in three cities – New York, Dallas and Miami. But Australia haven’t been invited to the party in the US.

Instead, they’ll play exclusively in the West Indies with group matches in Barbados, Antigua and St Lucia. Australia have been handed a friendly draw with Oman, Namibia and Scotland in their group which does, however, feature reigning champions England. Australia’s opener will be against Oman on June 5, with the big clash against England on June 8 in Barbados.

The top two teams will progress to the competition’s Super Eight stage, which will be held exclusively in the Caribbean.

Pre-tournament seedings will carry over for that stage of the tournament, assuming the top-eight teams qualify.

If Australia and England progress out of their initial pool, it is likely Australia will have India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in their Super-Eight group assuming there are no shock first-round exits. Australia have never played an international match in the US across either the men’s or women’s game.