Picture Credit: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
While the next big tournament in the international cricket arena is the Men's T20 World Cup set to be staged in Oman and UAE starting next month, it is now being reported that Team India will play a couple of warm-up games ahead of the mega event. Although the Indian players are expected to get sufficient game time playing for their respective franchises in the Indian Premier League, the games will help them get their rhythm back together as a unit.
While India will take on England in their first warm-up match prior to the World Cup on October 18, they will also play Australia in another warm-up fixture on October 20. Both the matches are set to be broadcasted on television (Star).
Not only these teams, but all the eight teams who have already secured qualification for Round 2 of the world event, will play warm-up matches ahead of the competition across venues in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. A few of these matches are slated to begin at 3:30 pm (IST), others are set for a 7:30 pm (IST) start.
Check out the complete schedule of warm-up matches here:
(All timings in IST)
October 18, 2021
Abu Dhabi:
Afghanistan vs South Africa- 3:30 pm
New Zealand vs Australia- 7:30 pm
Dubai:
Pakistan vs West Indies- 3:30 pm
India vs England- 7:30 pm
October 20, 2021:
Abu Dhabi:
England vs New Zealand- 3:30 pm
South Africa vs Pakistan- 7:30 pm
Dubai:
India vs Australia- 3:30pm
Afghanistan vs West Indies- 7:30 pm
Earlier, Virat Kohli announced that he will step down as the skipper of the T20I side post the World Cup in UAE.
"Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian Team in Test and ODI cricket," he said while explaining his decision.
"After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai and also Rohit, who have been an essential part of the leadership group, I've decided to step down as the T20 Captain after this T20 World Cup in Dubai in October," he stated.
The team's current vice-captain Rohit Sharma is likely to get the nod for the role of the Team India captain after the World Cup.
