With just one-month to go before the start of the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the schedule of men’s and women’s warm-up matches which will be played in the lead up to the event proper.

The fourth edition of the event, the first to take place in the subcontinent, will be staged from 18 September to 7 October. The event begins for the men on 18 September and 26 September for the women. The men’s competition will be staged in Colombo, Hambantota and Pallekelle while the women’s group stage will be played in Galle. 

However, Colombo alone will host the warm-up matches for both the men and women. The men’s warm-up matches will be played from 13 to 17 September and women’s matches on 22 and 23 September.

Host Sri Lanka will play warm-up matches against the West Indies and India at NCC ground and P.Sara Oval on 13 and 15 September, respectively while defending champion England’s warm-up matches are against Australia and Pakistan at the NCC Ground and P.Sara Oval on 17 and 19 September, respectively.

In the feature warm-up match, Asian rivals and former champions India and Pakistan will go head to head at R.Premadasa Stadium on Monday, 17 September. This match will start at 1400 (Colombo time) and will be the only warm-up game which will be covered live by ICC’s broadcast partner ESPN STAR Sports.

Meanwhile, the ICC has also announced the schedule of the pre-event activities which will allow the foreign media to lock in their travel arrangements.

Sri Lanka’s captain will kick-off the pre-event activities by holding his media conference in Colombo on 10 September. The Sri Lanka side, along with the Ireland side, will hold its open media session on 11 September. In the open media sessions, every team is expected to make three players available for interviews.

On 14 September, the ICC is staging an ICC Hall of Fame cocktail reception in which ICC President Alan Isaac and Chief Executive David Richardson will announce the inductees and will also release the ICC ODI Team of the Year.

Then on 15 September, cricket’s Oscars, the LG ICC Awards, will be staged at Waters Edge in Colombo.

The following is the schedule of various events that will take place in the lead up to the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012.

Schedule of warm-up matches

Men’s

13 Sep – Ireland v Zimbabwe (0930-1300), Moors Cricket Ground, Colombo
13 Sep – Sri Lanka v West Indies (0930-1300), NCC, Colombo
15 Sep – Afghanistan v Sri Lanka A (0930-1300), Moors Cricket Ground, Colombo
15 Sep – Australia v New Zealand (0930-1300), NCC, Colombo
15 Sep – Bangladesh v Zimbabwe (0930-1300), Colts Cricket Ground, Colombo
15 Sep – India v Sri Lanka (0930-1300), P.Sara Oval, Colombo
17 Sep – Australia v England (0930-1300), NCC, Colombo
17 Sep – Bangladesh v Ireland (0930-1300), Moors Cricket Ground, Colombo
17 Sep – New Zealand v South Africa (0930-1300), Colts Cricket Ground, Colombo
17 Sep – Afghanistan v West Indies (1400-1730), P.Sara Oval, Colombo
17 Sep – India v Pakistan (1400-1730), R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
19 Sep – England v Pakistan (0930-1300), P.Sara Oval, Colombo

Women’s

22 Sep – Pakistan women v Sri Lanka women (0930-1300), NCC, Colombo
22 Sep – England women v South Africa women (1400-1700), Moors Cricket Club, Colombo
23 Sep – Australia women v West Indies women (0930-1300), Moors Cricket Club, Colombo
23 Sep – India women v New Zealand women (1400-1700), NCC, Colombo

Schedule of pre-event activities

10 September
1330 – Sri Lanka captain’s presser, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand
1400 – Ireland captain’s presser, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand

11 September
1400 – West Indies captain’s presser, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand
1500 – Sri Lanka and Ireland open media sessions, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand

12 September
1130 – West Indies’ open media session, Taj Samudra- Crystal Upper
1400- Zimbabwe’s open media session, Taj Samudra – Crystal Upper
1600 – Pakistan captain’s presser, Taj Samudra – Crystal Upper
1615 – Zimbabwe captain’s presser, Taj Samudra – Crystal Upper
1630 – India captain’s presser, Taj Samudra – Crystal Upper

13 September
0915 – Australia captain’s presser, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand
0945 – New Zealand captain’s presser, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand
1030 – Australia’s open media session, Ivy 2.3, Cinnamon Grand
1145 – Bangladesh captain’s presser, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand
1200 – Afghanistan captain’s presser, Ivy 1.2.3, Cinnamon Grand
1215 – Pakistan’s open media session, Ivy 2.3, Cinnamon Grand
1300 – Afghanistan’s open media session, Ivy 2.3, Cinnamon Grand

14 September
0915 – Bangladesh’s open media session, Crystal Upper, Taj Samudra
1000 – India’s open session, Crystal Upper, Taj Samudra
1430 – England captain’s presser Crystal Upper, Taj Samudra
1600 – New Zealand’s open media session, Crystal Upper, Taj Samudra
1930 – ICC Hall of Fame cocktail reception to announce inductees and also announce the ICC ODI Team of the Year, Taj Samudra, Crystal Upper

15 September
1445 – South Africa captain’s presser, Duke 2, Cinnamon Lakeside
1600 – LG ICC Awards, Waters Edge, Colombo

16 September
0930 – England’s open’s media session, Cedar Tree, Cinnamon Grand
1100 – South Africa’s open media session, Cedar Tree, Cinnamon Grand

Schedule of LG ICC Awards

14 September
1930 - ICC Hall of Fame cocktail reception to announce inductees and also announce the ICC ODI Team of the Year, Taj Samudra, Crystal Upper

15 September
1600 – LG ICC Awards, Waters Edge, Colombo