World T20 2016: India to take on West Indies and South Africa in warm-ups: Hosts India will play West Indies and South Africa in two warm-up matches to gear themselves up for the mega event, the ICC World Twenty20 2016 to be staged at eight venues starting next month. The International Cricket Council has announced the match timings for the World T20 matches and released the schedule for the warm-up matches.

There are a total of 27 warm-up matches (17 men and 10 women) scheduled ahead of the World Twenty20. The matches will be played at six venues with the men’s matches are scheduled for Mohali, Dharamsala, Mumbai and Kolkata and the women’s matches will be taking place at Chennai and Bengaluru.

India’s first warm-up match will be against the Caribbean at the historic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on March 10 and then the hosts will take on the Proteas for the last practice match in Mumbai”s Wankhede Stadium on March 12.

Warm-up match schedule (men’s)

3 Mar – Zimbabwe v local side, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala (15h00); Ireland v Hong Kong*, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala (19h30)

4 Mar – Netherlands v local side, Sector-16, Mohali (15h00); Scotland v Oman*, IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali (19h30)

5 Mar – Ireland v Zimbabwe, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala (15h00); Bangladesh v Hong Kong*, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala (19h30)

6 Mar – Scotland v Netherlands, Sector-16, Mohali (15h00); Oman v Afghanistan*, IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali (19h30)

10 Mar – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (19h30); India v West Indies, Eden Gardens, Kolkata (19h30)

12 Mar – New Zealand v England, BKC, Mumbai (15h00); Pakistan v local side, JU, Kolkata (15h00); India v South Africa, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (19h30)

13 Mar – Australia v West Indies, Eden Gardens, Kolkata (19h30)

14 Mar – England v local side, BKC, Mumbai (15h00); Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Eden Gardens, Kolkata (15h00)

15 Mar – South Africa v local side, BKC, Mumbai (15h00)

*If Afghanistan, Hong Kong or Oman reach the second round of the Asia Cup, then their warm-up matches will be rescheduled accordingly.

Warm-up match schedule (women’s)

10 Mar – India v Ireland, M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru (15h00); Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru (19h30); New Zealand v Pakistan, MA Chidambaram, Chennai (19h30)

12 Mar – Bangladesh v Ireland, M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru (15h00-18h15); Sri Lanka v India, M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru (19h30); New Zealand v England, Guru Nanak, Chennai (15h00); Pakistan v South Africa, MA Chidambaram, Chennai (19h30)

14 Mar – West Indies v Australia, Guru Nanak, Chennai (15h00); South Africa v England, MA Chidambaram, Chennai (19h30)