South Africa, after failing to reach the semi-finals in 2007, are seeded fifth

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Men’s tournament:

Monday June 1 – Thursday June 4 - Warm up games
Friday June 5 – Wednesday June 10 - Group Games
Thursday June 11 – Sunday June 14 - Super Eight Games
Thursday June 18 2009 – Friday June 19 - Men’s and Women’s Semi Finals
Sunday June 21 - Men’s and Women’s Finals and Closing Ceremony

There are four groups for the ICC World Twenty20 with teams seeded according to their positions at the 2007 event in South Africa.

Nine full ICC members will be joined by Ireland, Holland and Scotland who emerged from a qualifier in Belfast in August.

At the main competition, each team will play two group games with the top two sides progressing to the Super Eight stage. From there, four teams will emerge from the two groups to compete in the semi-finals, at The Brit Oval and Trent Bridge, with the winners contesting the final at Lord's.

Group A
India (A1)
Bangladesh (A2)
Ireland

Group B
Pakistan (B1)
England (B2)
Holland

Group C
Australia (C1)
Sri Lanka (C2)
West Indies

Group D
New Zealand (D1)
South Africa (D2)
Scotland

Super Eight Groups

The first two teams in each group are placed 1 or 2. They will retain this position for the Super Eights stage, irrespective of whether they finish first or second in their group, unless they are knocked out by team 3 in their group. In this instance, team 3 replaces the position of the team they knock out.

For example, if Bangladesh wins Group A and India comes second, for the purposes of the Super Eights, India will still be A1 and Bangladesh will be A2.

This formula facilitates ease of logistical operations and provides spectators and television with certainty as to the time and location of team matches.

Women’s tournament

Monday June 8 – Tuesday June 9 - Warm-up games
Thursday June 11 – Tuesday June 16 – Group Games
Thursday June 18 – Friday June 19 - Men’s and Women’s Semi Finals
Sunday June 21 - Men’s and Women’s Finals and Closing Ceremony