The Proteas have been drawn in the same group as Sri Lanka and the Netherlands for this year’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.

Bangladesh and Nepal are also in Group D.

South Africa’s shock loss to the Netherlands at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia cost them a place in the semi-finals, while they also lost to the Dutch at 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

The opening game of the 2024 T20 World Cup will be held in Dallas with the final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, organisers announced on Friday.

The expanded 20-team tournament will get under way on 1 June at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas, Texas, when the USA take on Canada, both teams making their first appearances at a T20 World Cup.

A total of 16 games will be held in the US – the first time that a major international cricket tournament is held in the country.

A new venue 30 miles east of downtown Manhattan will host the big clash between India and Pakistan on Sunday, 9 June – one of eight games to be held at the 34,000 stadium being built in Nassau County.

Lauderhill in South Florida, the most established cricket venue in the USA, will host games featuring India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

While cricket is a niche sport in the US it does enjoy significant support from the South Asian and Caribbean communities in the country.

The West Indies hosted the 2010 T20 World Cup, three years after they held the 50-over version.

Defending champions England will begin their title defence on 4 June in Barbados against Scotland and 2022 finalists, Pakistan, will get underway when they play the USA in Dallas.

England will go up against traditional rivals Australia in Barbados on 8 June.

The 20 teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two teams progressing to the Super Eights.

The Super Eight games will all be held in the Caribbean – in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The two top teams from each group in the Super Eight will progress to the semi-finals, which will be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on 26-27 June. The final will be held in Barbados on 29 June.

Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, USA.
Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman.
Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea.
Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Nepal

Proteas’ 2024 T20 World Cup fixtures:

Mon, 3 June: vs Sri Lanka, New York
Sat, 8 June: vs Netherlands, New York
Mon, 10 June: vs Bangladesh, New York
Fri, 14 June: vs Nepal, St Vincent

© Agence France-Presse