ICC announces schedule for Women's T20 World Cup 2023, India to open campaign against Pakistan

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the complete schedule for the Women's T20 World Cup 2023. The tournament is set to be played in South Africa in February next year. India have been placed in Group 2 along with England, West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland.

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan in Cape Town on February 12 before locking horns with West Indies at the same venue on February 15. India will then take on England and Ireland on February 18 and 20, respectively.

All eyes will be on Cape Town on February 12 as India will resume theirepic rivalry with Pakistan. The two teams last met in the T20 World Cup earlier this year where Harmanpreet & Co. registered a comfortable victory. India and are also set to face Pakistan in the ongoing Women's Asia Cup 2022 in Bangladesh on Friday (October 07).

Hosts South Africa will face Sri Lanka in the opening game of the tournament in Cape Town on February 10. While India have the likes of Pakistan, England, West Indies and Ireland in their group, Group 1 consists of defending champions Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Australia, who defeated England in the final this year to lift their fifth T20 World Cup title, are the most successful team in the history of the competition. They will once again head into the tournament as one of the favourites and will be hoping for a successful title defence.

All five teams in each group will lock horns once against each other in the group stages. The top two teams will qualify for the semi-finals and the winners of the semi-finals will play in the all-important final on February 26.

Here is the complete schedule for T20 World Cup 2022:

South Africa v Sri Lanka 10 February

West Indies v England 11 February

Australia v New Zealand 11 February

India v Pakistan 12 February

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka 12 February

Ireland v England 13 February

South Africa v New Zealand 13 February

Australia v Bangladesh 14 February

West Indies v India 15 February

Pakistan v Ireland 15 February

Sri Lanka v Australia 16 February

New Zealand v Bangladesh 17 February

West Indies v Ireland 17 February

England v India 18 February

South Africa v Australia 18 February

Pakistan v West Indies 19 February

New Zealand v Sri Lanka 19 February

Ireland v India 20 February

England v Pakistan 21 February

South Africa v Bangladesh 21 February

Semi-final 1 23 February

Reserve day 24 February

Semi-final 2 24 February

Reserve day 25 February

Final 26 February

Reserve Day 27 February