T20 World Cup 2020: Here’s why India and Pakistan aren’t placed in the same group

The schedule for the T20 World Cup in Australia has recently been announced and as many as 12 teams would take part in the mega event. There will a total of four qualifiers (two in each group). After the qualifying round, the opening day of the Super 12 stage on Saturday, October 24 will be a witness to a doubleheader at the renowned Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney (SCG) in Sydney and Perth.

Even as Pakistan and Australia are set to lock horns in the first encounter of the opening day at the iconic SCG, India and South Africa are scheduled to cross swords with each other in Perth on the same day. In the meantime, it has been learned that India and Pakistan aren’t placed in the same group and this has happened for the first time ever since the 2011 World Cup in the Indian sub-continent.

The reason for the same

Pakistan are currently a powerhouse in the shortest format and are the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) number one ranked T20I team. India, on the other hand, aren’t far behind by any means and are ranked second. For being the top two sides in the format, the teams couldn’t be slotted in the same group and therefore the supporters won’t be treated to the marquee clash at least in the Super 12 stage.

Political tensions have turned out to be detrimental for cricket between the two Asian giants. The two teams only play each other in tournaments organised by the ICC and the Asian Cricket Council (ICC) that organises the Asia Cup. India and Pakistan last played each other in the 2018 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the Men in Blue comprehensively emerged victorious in both instances.

As far as playing bilateral series is concerned, the two teams last faced each other when Pakistan toured India way back in 2012-13 for an ODI and T20I series. They also won’t be playing each other in the ICC Test Championship.

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